An Investigation of the Solubility of Various Compounds in the Hydrofluoroalkane Propellants and Possible Model Liquid Propellants

The aims of this study were to investigate descriptive parameters that may predict the solubility of compounds in the hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellants and to identify a model HFA propellant that is liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The solubility of 32 and 20 compounds chosen to give a wide range of physicochemical properties in HFA-134a and HFA-227, respectively, was measured. The Fedors solubility parameter and a computed log octanol water partition coefficient (CLOGP) were compared with the compounds' solubility in the HFA propellants. A total of 19 and 15 solutes had finite solubilities for HFA-134a and HFA-227, respectively, although the remaining solutes were miscible in all proportions. There was no apparent relation between solubility in HFA and the Fedors solubility parameter. This was not improved by considering the hydrogen-bonding potential of the compounds. When log solubility versus CLOGP was plotted, there was a linear relation for 16 and 12 of the compounds exhibiting a finite solubility in the HFA propellants, although four solutes (phenols) were displaced to the left of the linear relation. The remaining 3 compounds had much lower solubilities than was predicted from their CLOGPs, possibly as a consequence of their crystallinity (high melting points). Of the putative model propellants investigated (i.e., perfluorohexane (PFH), 1H-perfluorohexane [1H-PFH], and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol), 1H-PFH was the most promising, with a linear relation between solubility in 1H-PFH and solubility in HFA propellant being observed. The solubilities in 1H-PFH were approximately 11 and 26% of those in HFA-134a and HFA-227.