Perfluorobutane (PFB) is an inert, high-density colorless gas. It is a simple

fluorocarbon Fluorocarbons are chemical compounds with carbon-fluorine bonds. Compounds that contain many C-F bonds often have distinctive properties, e.g., enhanced stability, volatility, and hydrophobicity. Several fluorocarbons and their derivatives are ...

with a ''n''-butane skeleton and all the

hydrogen Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...

atoms replaced with

fluorine Fluorine is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol F and atomic number 9. It is the lightest halogen and exists at Standard temperature and pressure, standard conditions as pale yellow Diatomic molecule, diatomic gas. Fluorine is extre ...

atoms.

Uses

Perfluorobutane can replace

Halon 1301 Bromotrifluoromethane, commonly referred to by the code numbers Halon 1301, R13B1, Halon 13B1 or BTM, is an organic halide with the chemical formula carbon, Cbromine, Brfluorine, F3. It is used for gaseous fire suppression as a far less toxic alte ...

fire extinguisher A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which ha ...

s, as well as the gas component for newer generation microbubble

ultrasound contrast agents Ultrasound is sound with frequencies greater than 20 kilohertz. This frequency is the approximate upper audible limit of human hearing in healthy young adults. The physical principles of acoustic waves apply to any frequency range, includi ...

. Sonazoid is one such microbubble formulation developed by Amersham Health that uses perfluorobutane for the gas core. Due to its inert nature and high density, inhaling perfluorobutane makes one's voice deeper. Caution is advised as heavier gases are difficult to breathe out and may cause

inert gas asphyxiation Inert gas asphyxiation is a form of asphyxiation which results from breathing a physiologically inert gas in the absence of oxygen, or a low amount of oxygen (hypoxia), rather than atmospheric air (which is composed largely of nitrogen and oxygen ...

Environmental impacts

If perfluorobutane is released to the environment, it will not be broken down in air. It is not expected to be broken down by sunlight. It will move into air from soil and water surfaces. If it is exposed to conditions of extreme heat from misuse, equipment failure, etc., toxic decomposition products including

hydrogen fluoride Hydrogen fluoride (fluorane) is an Inorganic chemistry, inorganic compound with chemical formula . It is a very poisonous, colorless gas or liquid that dissolves in water to yield hydrofluoric acid. It is the principal industrial source of fluori ...

can be produced. Perfluorobutane has an estimated lifetime greater than 2600 years. Perfluorobutane has a high

global warming potential Global warming potential (GWP) is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time period, relative to carbon dioxide (). It is expressed as a multiple of warming caused by the same mass of carbon dioxide ( ...

value of 4800. Its

ozone depletion potential The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of a chemical compound is the relative amount of degradation to the ozone layer it can cause, with trichlorofluoromethane (R-11 or CFC-11) being fixed at an ODP of 1.0. Chlorodifluoromethane (R-22), for examp ...

is zero.

References

{{reflist Perfluoroalkanes Fire suppression agents Dielectric gases