The radiation chemistry of acyclic hydrofluoro and perhalogenated ether and hydrocarbon compounds

The radiolytic stability of some hydrofluoroethers and hydrofluorocarbons was investigated and compared with those of perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) and the CCl2FCClF2 (CFC 113). The experimental results indicate that stability depends mainly on the relative abundance of hydrogen atoms in the molecule; however, a significant role is played also by the chemical structure (i.e. the relative positions of the hydrogen atoms in the molecule). As a result, molecules containing hydrogen atoms as OCF2H chain ends show a higher stability compared with the other hydrofluoro compounds. Based on the analysis of the end products and on the nature of radicals detected by EPR, radiolysis mechanisms are proposed and discussed. Due to their high dipole moments the hydrofluoro compounds and CCl2FCClF2 degrade mainly through an ionic mechanism.