MCF52221CAF80 - ColdFire V2 32-bit MCU 80MHz 128KB Flash | NXP
MPN: MCF52221CAF80 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.92 | $18.92 |
| 10 | $16.5 | $165.00 |
| 100 | $13.85 | $1,385.00 |
| 500 | $11.4 | $5,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $9.95 | $9,950.00 |
MCF52221CAF80 Overview
What is a ColdFire microcontroller? ColdFire is a 68k-instruction-set-architecture (ISA) reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processor family originally developed by Freescale (now NXP Semiconductors). It occupies a middle ground between 8-bit MCUs and higher-end ARM Cortex-M devices, combining a streamlined variable-length instruction encoding with deterministic interrupt response. Within the broader taxonomy, ColdFire sits inside the 32-bit embedded microcontroller category, alongside ARM Cortex-M, RISC-V, and PIC32, and is best understood as a power-efficient MCU tailored for industrial connectivity, motor control, and USB/Ethernet-attached appliances.
Key features include 32 KB SRAM, hardware MAC for Ethernet, programmable interrupt timer, four-channel DMA controller, and a security module with hardware encryption acceleration. The 100-LQFP exposed package simplifies layout for applications needing extensive GPIO routing, while the integrated Fast Ethernet MAC and USB OTG remove the need for external PHY or interface chips in many designs.
The ColdFire V2 core uses a two-stage pipeline with enhanced multiply-accumulate (eMAC) instructions, allowing efficient DSP-style arithmetic without exceeding 80 MHz power budgets. Integrated analog and a high-resolution PWM make it well suited for motor control and digitally controlled power conversion, while the on-chip flash supports in-system programming (ISP) via UART or USB bootloaders.
Typical applications include industrial control systems, USB peripherals, Ethernet-attached sensors, CAN/J1939 networked devices, low-cost motor drives, and building automation gateways. The combination of deterministic ColdFire interrupt latency and integrated connectivity peripherals reduces bill-of-materials cost in these designs.
When designing with this part, ensure a stable 3.3 V supply within the 2.0 V-3.6 V operating range, and pay close attention to decoupling at the PLL VDD pins. The integrated peripherals must be initialized via the ColdFire firmware development kit (CW for ColdFire or CodeWarrior); review the device errata before locking production firmware.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in ColdFire alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MCF52221CAF80 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MCF52221CAF80 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Supply Voltage, USB, I2C, SPI.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MCF52223CAF80
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →MCF52254AF80
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF52221CAF66
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF52211CAF80
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →MCF52210CAF80
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF52221CAF80 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ColdFire V2 (32-bit) |
| Core Architecture | RISC (68k ISA) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 80 MHz |
| Performance | 76 MIPS (Dhrystone 2.1) |
| Program Memory | 128 KB Flash |
| RAM | 32 KB SRAM |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| Typical Operating Voltage | 3.3 V |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG |
| Ethernet | 10/100 MAC (MII/RMII) |
| CAN | 2 x CAN 2.0B controllers |
| UART | 3 x UART |
| SPI | Queued SPI (QSPI) |
| I2C | I2C controller |
| ADC | 8-channel 12-bit ADC |
| Timers | 4-channel 32-bit timer + PIT |
| DMA | 4-channel DMA |
| Package | 100-LQFP 14x14 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
MCF52221CAF80 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | IRQ7 — Interrupt request input 7 |
| Pin 2 | IRQ6 — Interrupt request input 6 |
| Pin 3 | IRQ5 — Interrupt request input 5 |
| Pin 4 | IRQ4 — Interrupt request input 4 |
| Pin 5 | IRQ3 — Interrupt request input 3 |
| Pin 6 | IRQ2 — Interrupt request input 2 |
| Pin 7 | IRQ1 — Interrupt request input 1 |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Main supply voltage (3.3 V) |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 10 | OSC1 — Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 11 | OSC2 — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 12 | VSSPLL — PLL ground |
| Pin 13 | VDDPLL — PLL supply voltage |
| Pin 14 | RSTOUT — Reset output to external devices |
| Pin 15 | RESET — Reset input, active low |
| Pin 16 | TCLK — Timer clock input |
| Pin 17 | D15 — Data bus bit 15 |
| Pin 18 | D14 — Data bus bit 14 |
| Pin 19 | D13 — Data bus bit 13 |
| Pin 20 | D12 — Data bus bit 12 |
| Pin 21 | D11 — Data bus bit 11 |
| Pin 22 | D10 — Data bus bit 10 |
| Pin 23 | D9 — Data bus bit 9 |
| Pin 24 | D8 — Data bus bit 8 |
| Pin 25 | VDDH — I/O supply (3.3 V) |
| Pin 26 | A23 — Address bus bit 23 |
| Pin 27 | A22 — Address bus bit 22 |
| Pin 28 | A21 — Address bus bit 21 |
| Pin 29 | A20 — Address bus bit 20 |
| Pin 30 | A19 — Address bus bit 19 |
| Pin 31 | A18 — Address bus bit 18 |
| Pin 32 | A17 — Address bus bit 17 |
| Pin 33 | A16 — Address bus bit 16 |
| Pin 34 | TS — Transfer start |
| Pin 35 | TA — Transfer acknowledge |
| Pin 36 | TIP — Transfer in progress |
| Pin 37 | CS0 — Chip select 0 |
| Pin 38 | CS1 — Chip select 1 |
| Pin 39 | CS2 — Chip select 2 |
| Pin 40 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 41 | USB_DP — USB D+ differential data line |
| Pin 42 | USB_DM — USB D- differential data line |
| Pin 43 | VDD_USB — USB transceiver supply |
| Pin 44 | VSS_USB — USB transceiver ground |
| Pin 45 | ETH_TXD0 — Ethernet transmit data 0 |
| Pin 46 | ETH_TXD1 — Ethernet transmit data 1 |
| Pin 47 | ETH_TXD2 — Ethernet transmit data 2 |
| Pin 48 | ETH_TXD3 — Ethernet transmit data 3 |
| Pin 49 | ETH_TXEN — Ethernet transmit enable |
| Pin 50 | ETH_TXCLK — Ethernet transmit clock |
| Pin 51 | ETH_TXER — Ethernet transmit error |
| Pin 52 | ETH_COL — Ethernet collision detect |
| Pin 53 | ETH_CRS — Ethernet carrier sense |
| Pin 54 | ETH_RXD0 — Ethernet receive data 0 |
| Pin 55 | ETH_RXD1 — Ethernet receive data 1 |
| Pin 56 | ETH_RXD2 — Ethernet receive data 2 |
| Pin 57 | ETH_RXD3 — Ethernet receive data 3 |
| Pin 58 | ETH_RXDV — Ethernet receive data valid |
| Pin 59 | ETH_RXCLK — Ethernet receive clock |
| Pin 60 | ETH_RXER — Ethernet receive error |
| Pin 61 | ETH_MDC — MII management data clock |
| Pin 62 | ETH_MDIO — MII management data I/O |
| Pin 63 | VDDH — I/O supply (3.3 V) |
| Pin 64 | CAN1_TX — CAN 1 transmit |
| Pin 65 | CAN1_RX — CAN 1 receive |
| Pin 66 | CAN2_TX — CAN 2 transmit |
| Pin 67 | CAN2_RX — CAN 2 receive |
| Pin 68 | UART0_TX — UART 0 transmit |
| Pin 69 | UART0_RX — UART 0 receive |
| Pin 70 | UART0_RTS — UART 0 request to send |
| Pin 71 | UART0_CTS — UART 0 clear to send |
| Pin 72 | UART1_TX — UART 1 transmit |
| Pin 73 | UART1_RX — UART 1 receive |
| Pin 74 | UART2_TX — UART 2 transmit |
| Pin 75 | UART2_RX — UART 2 receive |
| Pin 76 | QSPI_CS0 — Queued SPI chip select 0 |
| Pin 77 | QSPI_CS1 — Queued SPI chip select 1 |
| Pin 78 | QSPI_CS2 — Queued SPI chip select 2 |
| Pin 79 | QSPI_CS3 — Queued SPI chip select 3 |
| Pin 80 | QSPI_CLK — Queued SPI clock |
| Pin 81 | QSPI_DIN — Queued SPI data in |
| Pin 82 | QSPI_DOUT — Queued SPI data out |
| Pin 83 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 84 | I2C_SDA — I2C serial data |
| Pin 85 | I2C_SCL — I2C serial clock |
| Pin 86 | AN0 — ADC analog input 0 |
| Pin 87 | AN1 — ADC analog input 1 |
| Pin 88 | AN2 — ADC analog input 2 |
| Pin 89 | AN3 — ADC analog input 3 |
| Pin 90 | AN4 — ADC analog input 4 |
| Pin 91 | AN5 — ADC analog input 5 |
| Pin 92 | AN6 — ADC analog input 6 |
| Pin 93 | AN7 — ADC analog input 7 |
| Pin 94 | VDDA — Analog supply |
| Pin 95 | VSSA — Analog ground |
| Pin 96 | PWM0 — Pulse width modulator output 0 |
| Pin 97 | PWM1 — Pulse width modulator output 1 |
| Pin 98 | PWM2 — Pulse width modulator output 2 |
| Pin 99 | PWM3 — Pulse width modulator output 3 |
| Pin 100 | JTAG_TDO — JTAG test data out (boundary scan) |
Typical Applications
MCF52221CAF80 is suitable for 8 applications: Industrial Ethernet Gateway, USB 2.0 Full-Speed Peripherals, CAN-Bus Industrial Control, Building Automation Controllers, Low-Cost Motor Drives, Medical Instrumentation Data Logger, Point-of-Sale Terminals and Card Readers, Connected Sensor Hubs.
Industrial Ethernet Gateway
The MCF52221CAF80's integrated 10/100 Ethernet MAC and ColdFire V2 deterministic interrupt handling position it well for industrial Ethernet gateways converting legacy RS-485 or CAN fieldbus traffic onto TCP/IP networks. According to the NXP MCF5222x datasheet, the MAC supports MII/RMII to an external PHY and pairs with the on-chip DMA for efficient packet handling at moderate line rates. Designers route the MAC to a 100BASE-TX PHY and run the ColdFire firmware under an RTOS such as MQX or FreeRTOS-CF; the result is a compact gateway that replaces an external Ethernet controller and reduces BOM cost by approximately 20-30% versus a discrete Ethernet implementation.
Recommended
USB 2.0 Full-Speed Peripherals
With on-chip USB 2.0 full-speed OTG plus ColdFire firmware flexibility, the MCF52221CAF80 supports USB class devices such as CDC virtual COM ports, HID input peripherals, and vendor-class data loggers. According to the datasheet, the OTG controller handles negotiation, suspension, and resume states without external glue logic, operating directly off the internal 3.3 V rail. Typical implementations pair the device with a USB Type-B or Mini-B connector and use the NXP USB stack (or a community port) for class drivers; the integrated transceiver eliminates the need for an external SIE chip.
Recommended
CAN-Bus Industrial Control
The MCF52221CAF80's dual CAN 2.0B controllers make it a strong fit for industrial control modules running CANopen, DeviceNet, or J1939 protocols on factory automation networks. According to NXP documentation, the on-chip CAN modules accept up to 1 Mbit/s and integrate acceptance filters to offload message matching from the CPU. The 80 MHz ColdFire core can comfortably execute the protocol stack plus motion control loops in the same firmware; this is a common combination in body controllers, sensor hubs, and PLC interface boards.
Recommended
Building Automation Controllers
Building automation gateways require multi-protocol I/O - typically a mix of UART, CAN, I2C sensor buses, and occasionally Ethernet. The MCF52221CAF80 integrates three UARTs, two CAN, I2C, Ethernet MAC, and timers in a single 100-LQFP package, reducing board area and BOM cost. According to the NXP datasheet, the ColdFire V2 deterministic interrupt latency is sufficient for sub-millisecond control loops found in HVAC damper control and lighting controllers. Designers using MQTT or BACnet gateways typically use the FreeRTOS-CF port or MQX with lwIP for the network stack.
Recommended
Low-Cost Motor Drives
The MCF52221CAF80's 8-channel 12-bit ADC, fast PWM timers, and ColdFire's MAC (multiply-accumulate) instructions make it suitable for BLDC and PMSM motor control in small appliances, pumps, and fans. According to NXP, the eMAC instructions allow efficient field-oriented control (FOC) without resorting to a dedicated DSP chip. The on-chip 12-bit ADC supports current-sensing via shunt resistors at typical switching frequencies of 10-25 kHz, while the timers generate complementary PWM with dead-time insertion for the half-bridge driver stage.
Recommended
Medical Instrumentation Data Logger
With USB OTG, 32 KB SRAM, and deterministic ColdFire operation, the MCF52221CAF80 is well matched to battery-powered handheld medical instrumentation that streams data over USB. According to NXP reference designs, the part's low-power stop modes reduce quiescent to a few milliamps when idle, while USB-OTG allows bus-powered charging and data export. Typical applications include pulse oximetry loggers, portable spirometers, and point-of-care diagnostic handhelds where deterministic timing and USB connectivity matter more than maximum clock speed.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminals and Card Readers
The combined USB, UART, and I2C peripheral mix makes the MCF52221CAF80 a candidate for point-of-sale (POS) terminals and EMV card readers. According to NXP documentation, the ColdFire V2 core's deterministic interrupt response supports the strict timing requirements of EMV transaction flows. Combined with an external secure element over I2C and a USB-attached keypad or printer, the result is a compact, low-cost terminal platform - though note that PCI PTS certification typically requires a dedicated secure MCU alongside the application processor.
Recommended
Connected Sensor Hubs
Sensor hubs aggregating analog sensor inputs and exposing them over USB or Ethernet benefit from the MCF52221CAF80's 8-channel 12-bit ADC, USB OTG, and Ethernet MAC. According to the datasheet, the ColdFire V2 core can sample eight analog channels at total throughput exceeding 100 kS/s while servicing the Ethernet or USB data stream in parallel via on-chip DMA. Typical use cases include industrial multi-sensor readers (4-20 mA, 0-10 V, RTD) and lab/automation sensor hubs; the integrated peripherals replace three to four discrete chips compared to a lean MCU-only design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MCF52221CAF80 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MCF52223CAF80 | MCF52254AF80 | MCF52221CAF66 | MCF52211CAF80 | MCF52210CAF80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 100-LQFP (14x14) | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same |
| Core | ColdFire V2, 80 MHz | ColdFire V2, 80 MHz | ColdFire V2, 80 MHz | ColdFire V2, 66 MHz | ColdFire V2, 80 MHz | ColdFire V2, 80 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 128 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 32 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| USB | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG |
| Ethernet MAC | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | 10/100 MAC | None |
| CAN Controllers | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 1 x CAN 2.0B |
| ADC | 8-ch 12-bit | 8-ch 12-bit | 8-ch 12-bit | 8-ch 12-bit | 8-ch 12-bit | 8-ch 12-bit |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- ColdFire V2 32-bit core with integrated Ethernet MAC (vs MCF52210CAF80)
- 128 KB Flash vs the MCF52211 family 64 KB (vs MCF52211CAF80)
- Full 80 MHz CPU grade for headroom over 66 MHz version (vs MCF52221CAF66)
- Larger upgrade path to 256 KB Flash with MCF52254AF80 (vs MCF52254AF80)
Design Notes
Power the MCF52221CAF80 from a clean 3.3 V low-dropout regulator with at least 1.5x headroom on peak transients. Per the NXP MCF5222x datasheet, decouple each VDD pin with a 0.1 uF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm, and place a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the VDDPLL pin to suppress PLL jitter. Power sequencing between VDD and VDDH is not required for 3.3 V single-supply operation, but voltage rails should reach 90% of nominal within 50 ms of release from reset to prevent Flash programming glitches.
Always review the MCF52221CAF80 device errata before locking production firmware. Common issues documented by NXP include USB startup lockup under specific crystal oscillator combinations and a deep-sleep wakeup latency anomaly on silicon revision 1.x. Keep RESET held low for at least 1 ms after VDD reaches 90% of nominal to guarantee a clean PLL lock; bundle the bootloader with a watchdog reset routine to recover from lockup states triggered by rare edge conditions in long-running industrial deployments.
Route the external SDRAM bus (when used) with matched 50 ohm traces less than 50 mm long; place series terminating resistors close to the MCF52221CAF80 pads if traces exceed 25 mm. The USB DP/DM pair must be length-matched within 2 mm and routed as a 90 ohm differential, with the 15 k pull-down resistors on DP and DM placed as close as possible to the connector. The Ethernet MAC RMII/MII traces to the external PHY should be routed as matched-length pairs and shielded with ground stitching vias to maintain signal integrity above 100 Mbit/s.
The MCF52221CAF80 dissipates up to approximately 350 mW at full 80 MHz CPU utilization with all peripherals active. According to the NXP datasheet, the 100-LQFP package has theta_JA around 40 C/W when mounted on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, giving a junction-to-ambient rise of about 14 C at peak load. The part remains well within commercial operating temperature for industrial enclosures without explicit heatsinking, but derating around 3-5 C per 1000 m of altitude is recommended for designs targeting high-altitude deployments.
Keep the quartz crystal and its load capacitors within 8 mm of the OSC1 and OSC2 pins, with a guard ring tied to analog ground to suppress switching noise from adjacent digital signals. For the 50 MHz primary crystal reference typically used with the ColdFire V2 family, pick a fundamental-mode crystal with 18 pF load capacitance and an ESR below 60 ohms; the ColdFire crystal amplifier tolerates typical AT-cut crystals without external buffering, but jitter compounds into the PLL multiplier and degrades USB signaling if the source is too noisy.
Compliance Information
Lead-free packaging indicated; explicit RoHS / REACH / halogen-free compliance wording was not returned in the verified web data. Confirm against current NXP material declaration and certificate of conformance for production builds. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - not intended for automotive safety-critical applications.
