go to homepage


Chemical compound
Alternative Title: halogenated hydrocarbon

Halocarbon, any chemical compound of the element carbon and one or more of the halogens (bromine, chlorine, fluorine, iodine); two important subclasses of halocarbons are the chlorocarbons, containing only carbon and chlorine, and the fluorocarbons, containing only carbon and fluorine. Examples of chlorocarbons are carbon tetrachloride and tetrachloroethylene; the best known fluorocarbon is the resin polytetrafluoroethylene, called Teflon. Several, but not all, of the Freons are halocarbons, as is the resin polychlorotrifluoroethylene (Kel-F). The nonflammability, low chemical reactivity, and low toxicity of many of the halocarbons are their most valuable properties (see organohalogen compound).

Learn More in these related articles:

Industrial polymers are synthesized from simple compounds joined together to form long chains. For example, polyvinyl chloride is an industrial homopolymer synthesized from repeating units of vinyl chloride.
compound composed of the elements carbon and fluorine; see halocarbon.
The use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in aerosol-spray propellants was banned beginning in the late 1970s in places such as the United States, Canada, and Scandinavia.
(trademark), any of several simple fluorinated aliphatic organic compounds that are used in commerce and industry. In addition to fluorine and carbon, Freons often contain hydrogen, chlorine, or bromine. Thus, Freons are types of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and...
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Harvard
  • Chicago
You have successfully emailed this.
Error when sending the email. Try again later.
Edit Mode
Chemical compound
Tips For Editing




Leave Edit Mode

You are about to leave edit mode.


Thank You for Your Contribution!



Uh Oh


Keep Exploring Britannica

quantum mechanics
Science Randomizer
acid-base reaction
Periodic Table of the Elements
Zeno’s paradox, illustrated by Achilles’ racing a tortoise.
foundations of mathematics
Global warming illustration
5 Notorious Greenhouse Gases
Margaret Mead
game theory
Chemical Elements: Fact or Fiction?
Email this page