I. Structural differences

Carbon tetrafluoride chemical type is CF4, the molecular structure is tetrahedral, there are four fluorine atoms around the centre of the carbon atom, and the position of the four fluorine atoms in the molecule is relatively balanced. The chemical type of trifluoromethane is CHF3, the molecular structure is an equiangular triangle, there are three fluorine atoms and one hydrogen atom around the centre of the carbon atom.

II. different physical and chemical properties

Carbon tetrafluoride is a colourless gas, liquid under standard conditions, heavier than air, stable and chemically inert. Due to the compactness of its molecular structure, carbon tetrafluoride has a high melting point and boiling point, and is easy to use as an insulator and refrigerant. HFC-23 is a colourless gas that is highly stable and chemically inert at room temperature. Therefore, HFC-23 is often used as an environmentally friendly firefighting agent and refrigerant.

III. Different applications

Carbon tetrafluoride is widely used in various fields such as electric power, metal smelting, aerospace and so on due to its high chemical stability and insulating properties. Due to its good fire-fighting performance and climate impact, HFC-23 can replace gravity fire-fighting agents and ozone-reducing agents, and is widely used in fire-fighting and air-conditioning and refrigeration. In summary, although carbon tetrafluoride and HFC-23 have great similarity in molecular structure, there are great differences in physicochemical properties and applications. Understanding the differences between them will help us better understand and apply them.