Ball-and-stick model of carbon tetrafluoride.

Carbon tetrafluoride is a chemical compound made of carbon and fluorine. It is the simplest fluorocarbon, with one carbon atom and four fluorine atoms. Its chemical formula is CF4. It is also called tetrafluoromethane, because it has the same structure as methane but with fluorine replacing hydrogen.

In the environment

Carbon tetrafluoride is a greenhouse gas. Because it is so stable, it lasts for a long time in the atmosphere. The global warming potential of carbon tetrafluoride is about 6500 times that of carbon dioxide.[1]

The Hall–Héroult process used to make aluminium metal is a major source of CF4 pollution.[2]

  1. ↑ Global Warming Potential Values (PDF) (Report). GHG Protocol.
  2. ↑ Kvande, Halvor (2014). "The Aluminum Smelting Process". Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 56 (5 Suppl): S2 – S4. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000000154. PMC 4131936. PMID 24806722.
source: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrafluoride