Methylene chloride, also known as dichloromethane, has excellent solvent properties, for which it is primarily used. Its largest end use is as a paint remover, providing the most effective paint removers’ formulations. In addition, methylene chloride is the leading substitute for trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) as a blowing agent for flexible polyurethane foam. However, because of the difficulties in recycling methylene chloride in this process, TDI-based foams that do not require blowing agents have been developed. Methylene chloride and chloroform can be produced in the same reactor.
Consumption of methylene chloride as a precursor is becoming more widely used in the production of difluoromethane (HFC-32), which is blended with other HFCs and used in refrigeration applications as a replacement for other refrigerants being phased out, such as chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22). Demand for methylene chloride as a solvent (paint remover) is expected to decrease, while consumption into fluorocarbons is expected to increase.
