HaloVac® Precision Vacuum Pump Fluids

HaloVac Precision Vacuum Pump Fluids are fluorinated lubricants engineered specifically for the low vapor pressures and viscosity characteristics required in precision vacuum pump applications. These oils have been used for over 60 years as a safe and reliable choice for lubricating and maximizing the operational life of mechanical pumps in high-performance vacuum and cryogenic applications.

Unlike hydrocarbon-based oils, HaloVac is nonflammable, chemically inert, and oxygen and chlorine-compatible. Manufactured using Halocarbon PCTFE technology, HaloVac® oils have been specifically designed and optimized for use in precision vacuum pumps, making them the competitive and cost-effective alternative to conventional PFPE-based systems.

HaloVac oils are designed for use as nonflammable and nonreactive lubricants in continuous operations that involve oxidizing environments, or hazardous chemicals. HaloVac oils are routinely used in applications ranging from plasma etching and chemical vapor deposition in semiconductor fabrication to the vacuums used reactive gas handling and electron microscopy. These oils significantly reduce the safety and exposure risks associated with the routine operation, maintenance, and waste disposal common in these applications.

Key Performance Characteristics

• Chemically inert
• Non-toxic
• No sludge-formation
• Nonflammable (no flash or fire point)
• High thermal stability
• Exceptional resistance to Lewis-Acids
• Low vapor pressure

• Low surface tension
• Compatible with most metals and plastics
• Compatible with most elastomers
• Excellent sealing and lubricating properties

Comparison of HaloVac Oils to PFPE-based Oils

HaloVac Precision Vacuum Pump Fluids are manufactured using Halocarbon PCTFE technology, which creates a chemical composition that is less complex and more cost-effective than oils produced using conventional PFPE-based technology. The inherent simplicity of PCTFE chemistry produces oils that do not contain any oxygen atoms in their chemical structure. This makes these oils more robust to attack by Lewis acids than their PFPE counterparts. In addition, HaloVac® oils have been demonstrated to out-perform PFPE-based oils in stability tests conducted under routine operating conditions for vacuum pumps.

In all cases, HaloVac oils:

• underwent no weight loss
• did not experience a reduction in viscosity
• had no change in pH, and no increase in acidity
• encapsulated volatile organic compound
• emitted no discernable fumes or acidic odors