Purification process for hexafluoroethane products

摘要

The disclosure relates to removing impurities from hexafluoroethane (CF3CF3), also known as Perfluorocarbon 116 (PFC-116) or Fluorocarbon 116 (FC-116), by using azeotropic distillation such that an overhead product consisting essentially of HCl-hexafluoroethane is formed, optionally combined with a phase separation step to break the HCl-hexafluoroethane azeotropic or azeotrope-like composition thereby permitting recovery of substantially pure hexafluoroethane. Unreacted hydrogen fluoride (HF) may be removed from hexafluoroethane during the above azeotropic distillation with HCl or alternatively by an azeotropic distillation wherein an HF-hexafluoroethane azeotropic or azeotrope-like composition exits overhead and substantially pure HF exits in the bottoms stream.