What is "pentafluoroethane"

n. (context organic chemistry English) A refrigerant and fire suppression agent with the chemical formula CF₃CHF₂.

Pentafluoroethane is a refrigerant with the formula CFCHF. Although it has zero ozone depletion potential, it has high global warming potential, reported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as 3450 times that of carbon dioxide.

Pentafluoroethane in a near zeotropic mixture with difluoromethane is known as R-410a, a common replacement for various chlorofluorocarbons (commonly known as Freon) in new refrigerant systems. Pentafluoroethane is also used as a fire suppression agent in fire suppression systems.