| Fluorine is a remarkable element. In its | | | | keep moving parts from friction while |
| elemental state, it is highly reactive | | | | not succumbing to the fierce oxidization |
| and toxic. However, when tightly bonded | | | | and other violent reactions that |
| to other molecules and elements, it | | | | characterize many such gases. |
| becomes almost totally non-reactive, | | | | Life support systems that carry oxygen |
| taking on remarkable properties that | | | | (and often nitrogen, too) in medical |
| have made the manufacture of almost | | | | applications must meet the highest |
| totally inert lubricants possible. These | | | | standards of oxygen safety. Only totally |
| lubricants not only include high | | | | inert substances are allowed, even |
| temperature grease and oil but also | | | | inside sealed bearings and the other |
| several types of wax. | | | | hardware of an oxygen delivery system. |
| Fluorine and hydrogen fluoride have a | | | | Oxygen compatibility of halocarbon |
| remarkable affinity for calcium and | | | | synthetic, inert oils and waxes has been |
| silicon. This property allows these | | | | investigated and approved for use by |
| simple fluoro-acids to do very useful | | | | notoriously picky EU investigation |
| things, such as etch glass (which is | | | | bodies. These arbiters of oxygen safety |
| made from silicon-based silica) in an | | | | concerned themselves with all types and |
| industrial setting. It also makes it | | | | sizes of oxygen delivery systems. |
| very dangerous. That very same acid can | | | | Oxygen safety, especially in extreme |
| burn right through your arm and straight | | | | circumstances such as those often |
| to your bones. | | | | encountered by portable oxygen units, |
| Of course, most people don't handle | | | | depends upon it. Consider how such tanks |
| highly reactive fluorochemicals at any | | | | can be inadvertently knocked around and |
| point in their lives. This is reserved | | | | tossed about while being delivered. |
| for a very small number of researchers | | | | Though the larger bullet shaped tanks |
| and technicians who are well aware of | | | | are usually not moved about much, the |
| the danger such compounds of fluorine | | | | smaller tanks that people with |
| pose to human health. | | | | emphysema, asthma or cystic fibrosis |
| The fluorine compounds that most people | | | | often carry around on carts are the ones |
| come into contact with are very solidly | | | | that have the highest likelihood of |
| bonded to other chemicals before most | | | | suffering damage that could be |
| people ever come near. As such, they are | | | | catastrophic if the correct inert |
| mostly inert by definition - something | | | | lubricants weren't used on newly exposed |
| that petroleum-based hydrocarbons | | | | surfaces. |
| certainly cannot claim. | | | | Industrial gas supplies (whether noble |
| Among the most useful attributes of | | | | or highly reactive gases) are not |
| fluorochemical based oils are their | | | | usually nearly as mobile or prone to |
| ability to remain non-reactive in even | | | | shock damage. However, large tanks can |
| the most critical and potentially | | | | go unmaintained for a long time. Along |
| reactive situation involving gases such | | | | with the use of non-reactive, synthetic |
| as pure, high-pressure oxygen situations | | | | lubricants, it is recommended that any |
| or other cryogenic gases that are | | | | gas tank be maintained on a regular |
| commonly used for a wide array of | | | | schedule, by trained professionals. |
| functions. | | | | It doesn't matter whether you risk |
| Anyone familiar with the highly reactive | | | | blowing yourself up a little or a lot - |
| nature of gases under high pressure or | | | | such inspections can spot areas that are |
| stored as super-cold liquids knows that | | | | in actual danger from explosion or |
| every single surface that such gases | | | | springing a leak in a line that's been |
| come into contact, whether on purpose or | | | | compromised at connection points, |
| accidentally in the case of mechanical | | | | fittings or bearings. High-pressure |
| failure of the delivery device | | | | oxygen compatible systems usually have |
| components, must not be composed of | | | | authorized service personal that show up |
| reactive substances. | | | | on a fixed schedule to care for and |
| The gas most commonly used and stored in | | | | maintain the inside, outside and feeder |
| this way is oxygen. Though perhaps most | | | | lines, as per oxygen safety guidelines. |
| often found in medical applications, | | | | Those who care for their own portable |
| SCUBA divers, mountaineers and high | | | | gear should be very careful not to |
| level athletes all use portable liquid | | | | attempt to tinker with it but instead |
| oxygen tanks to deliver pure gaseous | | | | take the apparatus in for regular |
| oxygen. Safety with such devices goes | | | | inspections or tune-ups. |
| well beyond a smoking ban. | | | | The use of fluorochemical non-reactive |
| Since mechanical devices are responsible | | | | and inert oils in high pressure and high |
| for mixing and delivering oxygen or | | | | performance gas delivery systems has |
| other reactive gasses under high | | | | revolutionized the applications that can |
| pressure, an oxygen compatible delivery | | | | safely utilize high pressure gases. The |
| system requires inert oils such as the | | | | added safety has likely saved scores of |
| completely fluorinated or | | | | lives since inert lubricants became |
| polychlorotrifluoroethylenes (PCTFE) | | | | commonplace in industry and hobby |
| based oils, lubricants and waxes that | | | | equipment. |