Frequently Asked Questions

Halocarbon has a strategic presence along the East Coast of the United States. Our corporate offices are located in Peachtree Corners, Georgia (within the Atlanta Metropolitan Area). Our technology center and manufacturing facilities are located in North Augusta, South Carolina (along the Savannah River).

For directions to one of our locations, mailing addresses, or for further assistance, please refer to our contact page.

You can place an order for our products directly from our website or contact our Customer Service department (customerservice@halocarbon.com). If you would like to place an order by phone, you can reach us toll-free (from within the U.S.) at 1-800-338-5803 or by using our caller-paid number +1-470-419-6364.

Halocarbon products are intended for use by persons trained in the proper handling of these and related materials. We recommend that you always refer to the specific SDS for a product prior to use. You can contact our Customer Service by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com) at any time to obtain an SDS.

As a Responsible Care © company we want to provide good information about our products properties and how to safely handle them. On select products, we offer product safety summaries that compliment the SDS. They can be found here.

Our offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time, UTC –5). Our offices are closed in observation of the following U.S. Holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Yes, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card for orders less than $20,000 USD.

Halocarbon prides itself on our responsiveness. Most of our standard products are in stock and ready to ship.

Our goal is to ship standard items out of our manufacturing plant in North Augusta, SC in 2 to 3 business days.

We allow limited return of our products with a restocking charge and subject to other requirements. Please contact Customer Service by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com) for specific information.

There are numerous benefits to adding fluorine to your products, including increased biological activity for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, greater thermal and oxidative stability and increased chemical resistance. To find out more about how Halocarbon can put the power of fluorine to work for you, click here to read our introduction to fluorine chemistry entitled, “Fluorine 101.”

Always consult the product’s SDS for detailed storage conditions. The following popular products are considered flammable and must be stored in accordance with all applicable fire regulations:

• Trifluoroethanol
• Ethyl trifluoroacetate
• Isopropyl trifluoroacetate
• Methyl trifluoroacetate
• Methyl chlorodifluoroacetate
• Trifluoroacetaldehyde ethylhemiacetal
• Trifluoroacetaldehyde methylhemiacetal
• Trifluoroethylamine
• Trifluoroethylene
• Bromotrifluoroethylene

Nonflammable products can be stored under ambient conditions.

All our products meet the industry leading specifications listed in this website. Generally, the processing complications and lower volumes resulting from production of a lower grade product will not offer significant cost savings.

Our packaging size standards vary depending upon the specific product and the quantities being purchased. To find a packaging size that is right for you, please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com).

Yes, please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com).

Yes, please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com).

Halocarbon oils, greases and waxes are synthetic fluorinated lubricants. They are inert because they are fully saturated, hydrocarbon-free, and are carefully manufactured to a very high degree of purity to ensure maximum safety and reliability.

Halocarbon Fluorinated Lubricants are fully halogenated and are essentially free of carbon-hydrogen bonds.

To learn more about the general benefits of fluorine chemistry, read our Fluorine 101 Section.

The following are miscible:

• Ethyl Alcohol
• Methyl Alcohol
• Acetone
• Methyl ethyl ketone
• Hexane
• Methyl isobutyl ketone
• Kerosene
• Mineral oils

These materials should not be used with sodium or potassium metals, amines including amine additives, liquid fluorine and liquid chlorine trifluoride. Silica-thickened greases should not be used in contact with alkalis, hydrofluoric acid and fluorinating agents. If you are using hydrofluoric acid or fluorinating agents, the Halocarbon polymer-thickened greases should be used.

Caution should be used under conditions of large shear forces such as those found in threaded connections or in any lubricated contact allowing for metal-to-metal contact (boundary lubrication). This is a concern with all fluorinated inert lubricants.

Halocarbon lubricants have been tested by NASA and the German Federal Institute for Materials Testing (BAM) and to ASTM standards.

The maximum safe operating temperature for Halocarbon Fluorinated Lubricants will depend on the specific application conditions. Any application over about 200°C requires careful consideration, with 260°C being a practical temperature maximum for PCTFE-based lubricants.

The following elastomers and plastics have been found to be compatible with Halocarbon inert lubricants. Since formulations vary by manufacturer, it is recommended that a compatibility test be conducted.

• Ethylene propylene rubber
• Polymides
• Polyvinyl alcohol
• Polycarbonates
• Neoprene
• Flurosilicones
• Teflon type plastics
• Cured epoxies
• Rigid PVC
• Urethanes
• Rigid CPVC
• EPDM
• Viton type plastics

With proper use and maintenance, Halocarbon Fluorinated Oils can be recycled. This helps to reduce the cost of using our oils.

We are aware of the following recyclers:
• Inland Vacuum
• Kurt J Lesker
• PMZ Products
• TMC Industries

Halocarbon has not approved or audited these recyclers – any company wishing to recycle their oil is responsible for the appropriate due diligence.

There are two main considerations when switching to a Halocarbon Fluorinated Oil or Grease to ensure long-term performance. The first is to make sure that the system is clean and all traces of the previous not-in-kind oils and/or greases (or other potentially reactive compounds) have been removed. The second is to verify compatibility with all materials of construction.

No, although we have silica-thickened greases, silica and silicone lubricants are completely different.

This system is used to define the thickness or consistency of a grease. A grease with a “1” rating is a very soft grease. A hard grease would have a rating of “4”. Most of the time, the equipment manufacturer will suggest which grade to use.

Halocarbon 25-5S grease is considered to be a general purpose inert grease. It can be used for most applications that require an inert grease. If there is a chance that the grease may come into contact with an alkali, hydrofluoric acid or a fluorinating agent, a polymer-thickened grease should be used instead.

This grease contains a rust inhibitor, molybdenum disulfide and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). These ingredients make it an outstanding thread sealant. It will help to prevent thread galling and act as a thread sealant where oxygen compatibility is required. It was tested by NASA and passed their oxygen compatibility.

Please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com).

Yes.

It is stocked and sold by most veterinary distributors. For more information, please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com).

Worldwide usage of Halothane has been declining for years and continued production was no longer economically viable.

Please refer to the specific SDS for your product.

Yes, please contact our Customer Service department by email (customerservice@halocarbon.com) for further information.

Call G.A.S. at 1-800-717-5955 (U.S. only) or Southmedic at 1-800-463-7146 (U.S. and Canada).

Yes, Halocarbon manufactures its Sevoflurane in its plant in South Carolina, USA. In addition, unlike other Sevoflurane suppliers, Halocarbon is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of the key precursor to Sevoflurane, Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP).

Yes, the US FDA has approved Halocarbon Sevoflurane as a therapeutic equivalent to Ultane® and lists Halocarbon Sevoflurane in their “Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations” (the “Orange Book”).

Halocarbon Sevoflurane is packaged in 250 ml USP Type III amber glass containers with a water content of not more than 70 parts per million (ppm). In order to receive FDA approval, a drug’s manufacturer must demonstrate its product’s stability in the sale container. Data submitted to the FDA showed Halocarbon Sevoflurane in glass bottles was stable under standard accelerated conditions (bottles stored at 40ºC and 75% relative humidity for 3 months) and hotter and drier conditions (60ºC and less than 5% relative humidity for 3 months). Halocarbon’s stability testing and other research has produced no evidence that storing Sevoflurane in type III glass results in Lewis Acid formation or otherwise contributes to decomposition of Sevoflurane, or that the addition of water is necessary to promote stability.

24 months.

Packaging is a matter of patents and/or marketing preference and each container type has its advantages and disadvantages. While a glass bottle can break, the primary advantage of this packaging type is visibility of the Sevoflurane level. Sevoflurane in plastic bottles has been recalled due to pinhole leaks in the plastic. As previously noted, in order to receive FDA approval, a drug must be shown to be stable in whatever container it is supplied.

No, other than company names.

Yes, Halocarbon Sevoflurane is listed by the FDA as a therapeutic equivalent to Ultane®.

As with all inhalation anesthetics, product handling, storage and administration information must be thoroughly reviewed prior to any use of drug. Please consult both the product insert and the SDS.