Midgley and CFCs

Timeline created by coachmorrell in Science and Technology

Timeline Text view

Event Date:	Event Title:	Event Description:
04/24/1928	Midgley discovers chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as safer alternatives to toxic and/or flammable refrigerants then in use.	Midgley discovers chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as safer alternatives to toxic and/or flammable refrigerants then in use.
03/20/1931	Commercial scale production of CFCs in DuPont/GM joint venture
06/28/1971	Lovelock reports persistence of CFCs in atmosphere.
04/20/1972	McCarthy of DuPont organizes International Conference on the Ecology and Toxicology of Flourocarbons with representatives of industrial producers of CFCs.	This conference leads to the establishment of industry-sponsored research programs to determine potential health and environmental impacts of CFCs.
06/15/1974	Molina and Rowland publish CFC/ozone depletion theory	Industry-sponsored program now focuses on potential for ozone depletion.
12/11/1974	DuPont begins screening candidate flourocarbon substitutes for CFCs.	Regulations ban (except for a few exempted applications) use of CFCs as aerosol propellants in U.S. and a few other countries.
01/05/1978	America bans CFCs as a propellant.
05/05/1985	Farman and two colleagues publish paper cocerning a hole in the ozone layer.
06/20/1986	DuPont increases development effort for alternatives to CFCs.
03/20/1995	Molina and Rowland are awarded the Nobel Prize for their work identifying the dangers of CFCs.
Timespan Dates:	Timespan Title:	Timespan Description:
06/15/1931 to 11/20/1974	CFCs become known as "miracle chemicals."	Uses include refrigeration and air conditioning, solvents, expanding agents for foams and aerosol propellants.