Hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants – global warming potential values and safety classifications

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This page lists hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) and HFC blend refrigerants, and some non-HFC refrigerants. The lists provide:

  • global warming potential (GWP)
  • refrigerant safety classification
  • blend composition (where applicable).

For completeness, some HFCs that are not commonly used as refrigerants are listed.

The GWP values apply under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (the Act). They are the 100-year GWPs from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) fourth assessment report, 2007 (AR4). These are the same as used in the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

The Act and the Montreal Protocol will continue to use AR4 values, to maintain consistency with HFC phase-down baseline calculations.

Under AS/NZS ISO 817:2016 Refrigerants - Designation and Safety Classification refrigerants are assigned an identifying number and a safety classification.

For the safety classification the first character, a capital letter, indicates the toxicity:

  • A: lower chronic toxicity
  • B: higher chronic toxicity.

The second character, a numeral, with or without a suffix letter, is the flammability. Refrigerants are assigned to one of four flammability classes:

  • 1: no flame propagation (often called non-flammable)
  • 2L: lower flammability (often referred to as mildly flammable)
  • 2: flammable
  • 3: higher flammability.

Where possible the refrigerant safety classification is from AS/NZS ISO 817:2016. Where this was not available it is from other reputable sources such as American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

This information is provided for general reference only. Anyone working with refrigerants must independently check the safety classification of any refrigerant.

HFCs
Refrigerant number Substance name Chemical name Chemical formula GWP (AR4) Refrigerant safety classification
R-23 HFC-23 Trifluoromethane/fluoroform CHF3 14,800 A1
R-32 HFC-32 Difluoromethane CH2F2 675 A2L
R-41 HFC-41 Fluoromethane (or methyl fluoride) CH3F 92 n/a*
R-125 HFC-125 Pentafluoroethane CHF2CF3 3,500 A1
R-134a HFC-134a 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane CH2FCF3 1,430 A1
R-143a HFC-143a 1,1,1-Trifluoroethane CF3CH3 4,470 A2L
R-152a HFC-152a 1,1-Difluoroethane CH3CHF2 124 A2
R-227ea HFC-227ea 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane CF3CHFCF3 3,220 A1
R-236cb HFC-236cb 1,1,1,2,2,3-Hexafluoropropane CH2FCF2CF3 1,340 n/a**
R-236ea HFC-236ea 1,1,1,2,3,3-Hexafluoropropane CHF2CHFCF3 1,370 n/a*
R-236fa HFC-236fa 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane CF3CH2CF3 9,810 A1
R-245ca HFC-245ca 1,1,2,2,3-Pentafluropropane CH2FCF2CHF2 693 n/a***
R-245fa HFC-245fa 1,1,1,3,3-Pentafluoropropane CHF2CH2CF3 1,030 B1
R-365mfc HFC-365mfc 1,1,1,3,3-Pentafluorobutane CF3CH2CF2CH3 794 n/a***
R-43-10mee HFC-43-10mee Decafluoropentane CF3CHFCHFCF2CF3 1,640 n/a****

*  etching gas for semiconductor manufacturing

** fire suppression agent

*** foaming agent

**** cleaning solvent

Some refrigerants are not single chemicals but a mixture of two or more chemicals, called blends. HFC blends may contain only HFCs, or HFCs mixed with other chemicals. For example, R‑410A is made up of 50% R‑32 and 50% R‑125.

HFC blends
Refrigerant number HFC blend name Blend composition GWP (AR4) Safety classification
R-404A HFC-404A HFC-125 (44%)
HFC-134a (4%)
HFC-143a (52%)		 3,922 A1
R-407A HFC-407A HFC-32 (20%)
HFC-125 (40%)
HFC-134a (40%)		 2,107 A1
R-407B HFC-407B HFC-32 (10%)
HFC-125 (70%)
HFC-134a (20%)		 2,804 A1
R-407C HFC-407C HFC-32 (23%)
HFC-125 (25%)
HFC-134a (52%)		 1,774 A1
R-407D HFC-407D HFC-32 (15%)
HFC-125 (15%)
HFC-134a (70%)		 1,627 A1
R-407E HFC-407E HFC-32 (25%)
HFC-125 (15%)
HFC-134a (60%)		 1,552 A1
R-407F HFC-407F HFC-32 (30%)
HFC-125 (30%)
HFC-134a (40%)		 1,825 A1
R-407G HFC-407G HFC-32 (2.5%)
HFC-125 (2.5%)
HFC-134a (95%)		 1,463 A1
R-410A HFC-410A HFC-32 (50%)
HFC-125 (50%)		 2,088 A1
R-410B HFC-410B HFC-32 (45%)
HFC-125 (55%)		 2,229 A1
R-413A HFC-413A HFC-134a (88%)
PFC-218 (9%)
HC-600a (3%)		 2,053 A2
R-417A HFC-417A HFC-125 (46.6%)
HFC-134a (50%)
HC-600a (3.4%)		 2,346 A1
R-417B HFC-417B HFC-125 (79%)
HFC-134a (18.3%)
HFC-600 (2.7%)		 3,027 A1
R-417C HFC-417C HFC-125 (19.5%)
HFC-134a (78.8%)
HC-600 (1.7%)		 1,809 A1
R-419A HFC-419A HFC-125 (77%)
HFC-134a (19%)
E170 (4%)		 2,967 A2
R-419B HFC-419B HFC-125 (48.5%)
HFC-134a (48%)
E170 (3.5%)		 2,384 A2
R-421A HFC-421A HFC-125 (58%)
HFC-134a (42%)		 2,631 A1
R-421B HFC-421B HFC-125 (85%)
HFC-134a (15%)		 3,190 A1
R-422A HFC-422A HFC-125 (85.1%)
HFC-134a (11.5%)
HC-600a (3.4%)		 3,143 A1
R-422B HFC-422B HFC-125 (55%)
HFC-134a (42%)
HC-600a (3%)		 2,526 A1
R-422C HFC-422C HFC-125 (82%)
HFC-134a (15%)
HC-600a (3%)		 3,085 A1
R-422D HFC-422D HFC-125 (65.1%)
HFC-134a (31.5%)
HC-600a (3.4%)		 2,729 A1
R-422E HFC-422E HFC-125 (58%)
HFC-134a (39.3%)
HC-600a (2.7%)		 2,592 A1
R-423A HFC-423A HFC-134a (52.5%)
HFC-227ea (47.5%)		 2,280 A1
R-424A HFC-424A HFC-125 (50.5%)
HFC-134a (47.0%)
HC-600a (0.9%)
HC-600 (1%)
HC-601a (0.6%)		 2,440 A1
R-425A HFC-425A HFC-32 (18.5%)
HFC-134a (69.5)
HFC-227ea (12%)		 1,505 A1
R-426A HFC-426A HFC-125 (5.1%)
HFC-134a (93%)
HC-600 (1.3%)
HC-601a (0.6%)		 1,508 A1
R-427A HFC-427A HFC-32 (15%)
HFC-125 (25%)
HFC-143a (10%)
HFC-134a (50%)		 2,138 A1
R-428A HFC-428A HFC-125 (77.5%)
HFC-143a (20%)
HC-290 (0.6%)
HC-600a (1.9%)		 3,607 A1
R-429A HFC-429A HFC-152a (10%)
E170 (60%)
HC-600a (30%)		 13 A3
R-430A HFC-430A HFC-152a (76%)
HC-600a (24%)		 94 A3
R-431A HFC-431A HFC-152a (29%)
HC-290 (71%)		 36 A3
R-434A HFC-434A HFC-125 (63.2%)
HFC-143a (18%)
HFC-134a (16%)
HC-600a (2.6%)		 3,245 A1
R-435A HFC-435A HFC-152a (20%)
E170 (80%)		 26 A3
R-437A HFC-437A HFC-125 (19.5%)
HFC-134a (78.5%)
HC-600 (1.4%)
HC-601 (0.6%)		 1,805 A1
R-438A HFC-438A HFC-32 (8.5%)
HFC-125 (45%)
HFC-134a (44.2%)
HC-600 (1.7%)
HC-601a (0.6%)		 2,264 A1
R-439A HFC-439A HFC-32 (50%)
HFC-125 (47%)
HC-600a (3.0%)		 1,983 A2
R-440A HFC-440A HFC-290 (0.6%)
HFC-134a (1.6%)
HC-600a (97.8%)		 144 A2
R-442A HFC-442A HFC-32 (31%)
HFC-125 (31%)
HFC-134a (30%)
HFC-152a (3%)
HFC-227ea (5%)		 1,888 A1
R-444A HFC-444A HFC-32 (12%)
HFC-152a (5%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (83%)		 87 A2L
R-444B HFC-444B HFC-32 (41.5%)
HFC-152a (10%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (48.5%)		 293 A2L
R-445A HFC-445A HFC-744 (6%)
HFC-134a (9%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (85%)		 129 A2L
R-446A HFC-446A HFC-32 (68%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (29%)
HC-600 (3%)		 459 A2L
R-447A HFC-447A HFC-32 (68%)
HFC-125 (3.5%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (28.5%)		 582 A2L
R-447B HFC-447B HFC-32 (68%)
HFC-125 (8%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (24%)		 739 A2L
R-448A HFC-448A HFC-32 (26%)
HFC-125 (26%)
HFC-134a (21%)
HFO-1234yf (20%)
HFO-1234ze (7%)		 1,386 A1
R-449A HFC-449A HFC-32 (24.3%)
HFC-125 (24.7%)
HFC-134a (25.7%)
HFO-1234yf (25.3%)		 1,396 A1
R-449B HFC-449B HFC-32 (20%)
HFC-125 (24.3%)
HFO-1234yf (23.2%)
HFC-134a (27.3%)		 1,411 A1
R-449C HFC-449C HFC-32 (20%)
HFC-125 (20%)
HFO-1234yf (31%)
HFC-134a (29%)		 1,250 A1
R-450A HFC-450A HFC-134a (42%)
HFO-1234yf (58%)		 601 A1
R-451A HFC-451A HFO-1234yf (89.8%)
HFC-134a (10.2%)		 146 A2L
R-451B HFC-451B HFO-1234yf (88.8%)
HFC-134a (11.2%)		 160 A2L
R-452A HFC-452A HFC-32 (11%)
HFC-125 (59%)
HFO-1234yf (30%)		 2,139 A1
R-452B HFC-452B HFC-32 (67%)
HFC-125 (7%)
HFO-1234yf (26%)		 697 A2L
R-452C HFC-452C  HFC-32 (12.5%)
HFC-125 (61%)
HFO-1234yf (26.5%)		 2,219 A1
R-453A HFC-453A HFC-32 (20%)
HFC-125 (20%)
HFC-134a (53.8%)
HFC-227ea (5%)
HC-600 (0.6%)
HC-601 (0.6%)		 1,765 A1
R-454A HFC-454A HFC-32 (35%)
HFO-1234yf (65%)		 236 A2L
R-454B HFC-454B HFC-32 (68.9%)
HFO-1234yf (31.1%)		 465 A2L
R-454C HFC-454C HFC-32 (21.5%)
HFO-1234yf (78.5%)		 145 A2L
R-455A HFC-455A R-744 (3%)
HFC-32 (21.5%)
HFO-1234yf (75.5%)		 145 A2L
R-456A HFC-456A HFC-32 (6%)
HFC-134a (45%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (49%)		 684 A1
R-457A HFC-457A HFC-32 (18%)
HFO-1234yf (70%)
HFC-152a (12%)		 136 A2L
R-458A HFC-458A HFC-32 (20.5%)
HFC-125 (4%)
HFC-134a (61.4%)
HFC-227ea (13.5%)
HFC-236fa (0.6%)		 1,650 A1
R-507A HFC-507A HFC-125 (50%)
HFC-143a (50%)		 3,985 A1
R-508A HFC-508A HFC-23 (39%)
PFC-116 (61%)		 13,214 A1
R-508B HFC-508B HFC-23 (46%)
PFC-116 (54%)		 13,396 A1
R-512A HFC-512A HFC-134a (5%)
HFC-152a (95%)		 189 A2
R-513A HFC-513A HFC-134a (44%)
HFO-1234yf (56%)		 629 A1
R-513B HFC-513B HFC-134a (41.5%)
HFO-1234yf (58.5%)		 593 A1
R-515A HFC-515A HFC-227ea (12%)
HFO-1234ze(E) (88%)		 386 A1
R-515B HFC-515B HFO-1234ze (91.1%) 
HFC-227ea (8.9%)		 292 A1

The following refrigerants are not controlled under the Act; they are provided for reference. Each has a GWP value of less than 5.

Natural refrigerants
Refrigerant number Chemical Name Chemical Formula Safety classification
R-12A (Hydrocarbon blend) n/a A3
R-170 Ethane C2H6 A3
R-22A (Hydrocarbon blend) n/a A3
R-290 Propane C3H8 A3
R-600 Butane C4H10 A3
R-600A Isobutane C4H10 A3
R-601A Isopentane C5H12 A3
R-717 Ammonia NH3 B2L
R-744 Carbon Dioxide CO2 A1
R-1270 Propene / Propylene C3H6 A3
Hydrofluoro-olefins (HFOs)
Refrigerant number Substance Name Chemical Formula Safety classification
R-1234ze(E) HFO-1234ze 1,3,3,3 Tetrafluoropropene A2L
R-1234yf HFO-1234yf 2,3,3,3 Tetrafluoropropene A2L

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