{
 "license": "CC BY 4.0 — Tremon Solutions, https://www.tremon.nl/gases/sf6",
 "generated": "2026-09-17",
 "key": "sf6",
 "name": "Sulfur hexafluoride",
 "formula": "SF₆",
 "formula_plain": "F6S",
 "iupac": "hexafluoro-lambda6-sulfane",
 "synonyms": [
  "Sulfur fluoride [Note: May contain highly toxic sulfur pentafluoride as an impurity.]"
 ],
 "cas": "2551-62-4",
 "ec_number": "219-854-2",
 "un_number": "1080",
 "un_shipping_name": "Sulphur hexafluoride",
 "transport_class": "2.2 (Non-flammable, non-toxic gases)",
 "pubchem_cid": 17358,
 "molar_mass_g_mol": 146.05,
 "mg_m3_per_ppm_20c": 6.07,
 "boiling_point_c": null,
 "sublimation_point_c": -63.8,
 "melting_point_c": null,
 "critical_temp_c": 45.6,
 "critical_pressure_bar": 37.53,
 "vapour_pressure_bar": 21.0,
 "vapour_pressure_at_c": 20.0,
 "density_gas_kg_m3": 6.626,
 "density_condition": "0 °C, 1013 mbar",
 "relative_density_air": 5.11,
 "solubility_water": "31 mg/l at 25 °C",
 "appearance": "gas liquefied under pressure, colourless, odourless",
 "odour": "odourless",
 "chemical_character": [
  "Non-combustible gas.",
  "Gas is heavier than air.",
  "Danger of suffocation at high concentrations due to oxygen displacement."
 ],
 "hazard_class": "asphyxiant (inert); greenhouse gas GWP 24 300",
 "ghs_classification": [
  "Gases under pressure, liquefied gas; H280"
 ],
 "ghs_signal_word": "Warning",
 "ghs_hazard_statements": [
  "H280: Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated."
 ],
 "euh_statements": [],
 "nfpa704": {
  "health": 2,
  "flammability": 0,
  "instability": 0,
  "special": "SA"
 },
 "lel_vol_pct": null,
 "uel_vol_pct": null,
 "autoignition_c": null,
 "temperature_class": null,
 "explosion_group": null,
 "eu_ioelv": {
  "twa_8h_ppm": null,
  "twa_8h_mg_m3": null,
  "stel_15min_ppm": null,
  "stel_15min_mg_m3": null,
  "directive": null
 },
 "de_agw": {
  "twa_ppm": 5000.0,
  "twa_mg_m3": 30000.0,
  "source": "TRGS 900 via GESTIS"
 },
 "nl_grenswaarde": {
  "note": "Netherlands: wettelijke grenswaarden (Arboregeling, bijlage XIII) — check the SER grenswaarden database (https://www.ser.nl/nl/thema/arbeidsomstandigheden/grenswaarden) for the current legal value; EU IOELVs are transposed into it."
 },
 "niosh_rel": {
  "twa_ppm": 1000.0,
  "stel_or_ceiling_ppm": null,
  "raw": "TWA 1000 ppm (6000 mg/m3)"
 },
 "osha_pel": "TWA 1000 ppm (6000 mg/m3)",
 "idlh_ppm": null,
 "idlh_raw": "N.D.",
 "gwp100": {
  "ar4": 22800,
  "ar6": 24300,
  "eu_fgas_2024_573_annex": 24300
 },
 "atmospheric_lifetime_years": 1000,
 "odp": 0,
 "gwp_note": null,
 "seveso_named": false,
 "health_effects": "Chemically inert and non-toxic at workplace limit (1000 ppm); 5× heavier than air, collects in trenches and cable basements and displaces oxygen. Arc-decomposition products (SOF₂, SO₂F₂, HF, S₂F₁₀) are highly toxic — the real hazard around faulted switchgear.",
 "main_toxic_effects_gestis": "Acute: \nFrostbite resulting from contact with the liquefied gas, \nat very high concentrations suffocation due to displacement of oxygen from the air\nChronic: \nNo indications of any chronic toxic effects caused by the pure gas",
 "routes_of_exposure": "Main routes of exposure\nThe main intake pathway for sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is via the respiratory tract. \nRespiratory tract\nThe kinetic behavior of SF6 in the respiratory tract has been investigated in detail on dogs. Diffusion processes in the area of the deeper airways seem to be of particular significance.  Overall, the kinetic behavior in the tissue is largely consistent with that of other inert gases, such as nitrogen. \nSkin\nDermal absorption of large quantities of SF6 is unlikely. \nKinetic data is not available. \nGastrointestinal tract\nBecause of the extremely low solubility of the gas, it can be assumed that only a negligible amount of SF6 will dissolve in the saliva and bronchial mucus and reach the digestive tract.",
 "ir_absorption_band_um": "10.5–10.6 µm (ν₃ S–F stretch, 948 cm⁻¹) — very strong",
 "monitoring": [
  "NDIR at 10.5 µm gives ppm-level room monitoring; density monitors (P/T compensated) on each gas compartment are the regulatory tool (Reg. 2024/573 Art. 5: monitoring device with automatic alert = exemption from periodic leak checks).",
  "Alarms: 1000 ppm (OEL) in GIS rooms; leak-rate alarm from density trend; sampling at floor level."
 ],
 "regulation_windows": [
  "F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 — switchgear phase-in bans 2026/2028/2030/2032 by voltage class; installed fleet exempt from leak checks only with density monitoring + automatic alert (Art. 5)",
  "GWP 24 300 (Annex I) — every kg leaked = 24.3 t CO₂e",
  "Workplace 1000 ppm (NIOSH/OSHA; DE AGW 5000 ppm)"
 ],
 "tremon_products": [
  "DM-91 density transducer",
  "IR·SF₆ transmitter",
  "GDC-S52 multi-point sampling",
  "TRM-PGA"
 ],
 "sources": [
  "https://gestis-database.dguv.de/data?name=005220",
  "https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0576.html",
  "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/17358",
  "IPCC AR6 WG1 Ch.7 Supplementary Material, Table 7.SM.7 (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_Chapter07_SM.pdf)",
  "IPCC AR4 WG1 Ch.2, Table 2.14 (https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ar4-wg1-chapter2-1.pdf)",
  "Regulation (EU) 2024/573, Annex I/III (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/573/oj)",
  "HITRAN/NIST IR band positions (approximate centre of the strongest band used for NDIR; https://hitran.org, https://webbook.nist.gov)"
 ]
}