Nitrogen Trifluoride

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Published: May 2, 2011 5:01 pm

Updated: Oct 4, 2021 11:47pm
Geometry of Nitrogen Trifluoride molecule.

Author: C. Michael Hogan

Topic Editor: Andy Jorgensen

Topics:


Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) is an inorganic, colorless, toxic gas with a somewhat musty odor. It finds increasing use within the manufacturing of flat-panel displays, solar panels, LEDs and other microelectronics. NF3 is an irritant to mucous membranes and eyes, and is a pulmonary irritant with some toxicity; overexposure via inhalation causes the conversion of hemoglobin in blood to methemoglobin, that leads to the condition methemoglobinemia.

Greenhouse Gas

Time History of Nitrogen Trifluoride in the atmosphere, showing a current doubling time of about five years. Source: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Nitrogen Trifluoride is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases, with a global warming potential of 17,200 times the forcing potential of Carbon Dioxide, over a one hundred year period. It has a residence time in the Earth atmosphere of 740 years. Its global warming potential make NF3 second only to Sulfur hexafluoride in the Kyoto list of greenhouse gases. Its percentage growth in concentration in the atmosphere has increased more than any other greenhouse gas since 1997. Most of this growth is due to its being a by-product in the manufacture of solar voltaics.

References

  •  Richard Conniff (2008). The Greenhouse Gas That Nobody Knew. Yale School of Environment. Research publication Nov 13, 2008, New Haven, Connecticut
  •  Prather, M.J.; Hsu, J. (2008). NF3, the greenhouse gas missing from Kyoto. Geophys. Res. Lett. 35 (12): L12810. Bibcode:2008GeoRL..3512810P. doi:10.1029/2008GL034542
  •  Robson, J. I.; Gohar, L. K.; Hurley, M. D.; Shine, K. P.; Wallington, T. (2006). Revised IR spectrum, radiative efficiency and global warming potential of nitrogen trifluoride. Geophys. Res. Lett. 33 (10): L10817. Bibcode:2006GeoRL..3310817R. doi:10.1029/2006GL026210
  •  Tsai, W.-T. (2008). Environmental and health risk analysis of nitrogen trifluoride (NF
    3), a toxic and potent greenhouse gas    . J. Hazard. Mat. 159 (2–3): 257–63. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.02.023. PMID 18378075
  • U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. "Nitrogen trifluoride". Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH). National for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016) Climate Change Indicators: Atmospheric Concentrations of Greenhouse Gases - Figure 4". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 2021-03-05.

Citation

C. Michael Hogan (2021) Nitrogen Trifluoride. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and Environment. Washington DC https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Nitrogen_Trifluoride

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