FK-5-1-12 is the chemical designation for the fluoroketone compound in Novec™ 1230, defined independently of its trade name. Standard Fluids produces the same compound as SF 1230™, validated to the same specification under NFPA 2001 and applicable FM and UL listing standards. The molecule is defined by its specification, not by whose name is on the container.

Yes. Systems designed and listed for Novec™ 1230 transition to SF 1230™ without redesign, as extinguishing concentration, nozzle sizing, and storage parameters are all governed by the FK-5-1-12 specification. For questions about requalification requirements or local code authority review, our technical team can walk through the documentation your process requires.

The right product depends on the thermal profile and operating requirements of your specific application.

For fire suppression, it's almost always Novec™ 1230. Check the system design documents or cylinder label for the trade name or FK-5-1-12 designation. 

For immersion cooling and heat transfer, the product number is typically in the original system specification or equipment documentation. If you have application parameters but no product number, we can help find the right match.

By chemical definition, yes. Novec™ fluids contain carbon-fluorine bonds, so they're classified as PFAS, and Standard Fluids replacements carry the same classification.

The PFAS compounds driving most regulatory action, including PFOS and PFOA, bioaccumulate in tissue and persist in groundwater for decades. Fluoroketones like SF 1230™ don't bioaccumulate. Instead, they break down in the atmosphere, which is why they have a GWP close to 1 despite being classified as PFAS.

The PFAS compounds driving most regulatory action, including PFOS and PFOA, bioaccumulate in tissue and persist in groundwater for decades. Perfluorocarbons, like those used in Fluorinert, don't bioaccumulate in the same way. Their environmental concern is high atmospheric stability and significant global warming potential rather than bioaccumulation.

Long-chain PFAS such as PFOS and PFOA are built around fully fluorinated carbon chains with no reactive functional groups, which is what makes them persist in biological tissue and the environment for decades.

Fluoroketones have a carbon-oxygen double bond that creates a reactive site, allowing the molecule to break down in the atmosphere under UV light rather than accumulate. That structural difference is what gives fluoroketones a low GWP and means they don't bioaccumulate, despite carrying the PFAS classification by chemical definition.

GWP measures how much heat a compound traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. A GWP of 1 is equivalent to CO2, with higher values indicating greater heat-trapping effect per unit released. SF 1230™ carries a GWP close to 1, compared to values in the thousands for older halon and HFC alternatives.