Perfluorohexane
Encyclopedia
Perfluorohexane or tetradecafluorohexane, is a fluorocarbon
. It is a derivative of hexane
in which all of the hydrogen
atom
s are replaced by fluorine
atoms. It is used in one formulation of the electronic cooling liquid/insulator Fluorinert
for low temperature applications due to its low boiling point of 56°C and freezing point of -90 °C. It is odorless and colorless.
It is one of the Fluorinert
brand solvents/coolants. It is used as a solvent
and coolant
. In medical imaging
it is used as a contrast agent.
Perfluorohexane is considered biologically inert and chemically stable. Like other fluorocarbon based liquids, perfluorohexane dissolves gases including oxygen
from the air to a higher concentration than is found in other liquids. This effect is due to the nature of the fluorine atom causing low intermolecular forces between perfluorohexane molecules, which allows "space" for gas molecules to partition into the liquid. Animals can be submerged in a bath of perfluorohexane without drowning, as there is sufficient oxygen available in the solvent to allow respiration to continue. This has led to the experimental use of perfluorohexane in treating burn victims, as their lungs can be filled with either perfluorohexane vapor or in extreme cases liquid perfluorohexane, allowing breathing to continue
without the problems normally seen with pulmonary edema
that sometimes occur when the inside of the lungs have been burnt e.g. by inhalation of hot smoke.
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbons, sometimes referred to as perfluorocarbons or PFCs, are organofluorine compounds that contain only carbon and fluorine bonded together in strong carbon–fluorine bonds. Fluoroalkanes that contain only single bonds are more chemically and thermally stable than alkanes...
. It is a derivative of hexane
Hexane
Hexane is a hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C6H14; that is, an alkane with six carbon atoms.The term may refer to any of four other structural isomers with that formula, or to a mixture of them. In the IUPAC nomenclature, however, hexane is the unbranched isomer ; the other four structures...
in which all of the hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
atom
Atom
The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons...
s are replaced by fluorine
Fluorine
Fluorine is the chemical element with atomic number 9, represented by the symbol F. It is the lightest element of the halogen column of the periodic table and has a single stable isotope, fluorine-19. At standard pressure and temperature, fluorine is a pale yellow gas composed of diatomic...
atoms. It is used in one formulation of the electronic cooling liquid/insulator Fluorinert
Fluorinert
Fluorinert is the trademarked brand name for the line of electronics coolant liquids sold commercially by 3M. It is an electrically insulating, stable fluorocarbon-based fluid which is used in various cooling applications. It is mainly used for cooling electronics...
for low temperature applications due to its low boiling point of 56°C and freezing point of -90 °C. It is odorless and colorless.
It is one of the Fluorinert
Fluorinert
Fluorinert is the trademarked brand name for the line of electronics coolant liquids sold commercially by 3M. It is an electrically insulating, stable fluorocarbon-based fluid which is used in various cooling applications. It is mainly used for cooling electronics...
brand solvents/coolants. It is used as a solvent
Solvent
A solvent is a liquid, solid, or gas that dissolves another solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature...
and coolant
Coolant
A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor...
. In medical imaging
Medical imaging
Medical imaging is the technique and process used to create images of the human body for clinical purposes or medical science...
it is used as a contrast agent.
Perfluorohexane is considered biologically inert and chemically stable. Like other fluorocarbon based liquids, perfluorohexane dissolves gases including oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
from the air to a higher concentration than is found in other liquids. This effect is due to the nature of the fluorine atom causing low intermolecular forces between perfluorohexane molecules, which allows "space" for gas molecules to partition into the liquid. Animals can be submerged in a bath of perfluorohexane without drowning, as there is sufficient oxygen available in the solvent to allow respiration to continue. This has led to the experimental use of perfluorohexane in treating burn victims, as their lungs can be filled with either perfluorohexane vapor or in extreme cases liquid perfluorohexane, allowing breathing to continue
Liquid breathing
Liquid breathing is a form of respiration in which a normally air-breathing organism breathes an oxygen-rich liquid , rather than breathing air....
without the problems normally seen with pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema , or oedema , is fluid accumulation in the air spaces and parenchyma of the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause respiratory failure...
that sometimes occur when the inside of the lungs have been burnt e.g. by inhalation of hot smoke.