[Histonet] Histobath coolants - hydrofluoroethers

[RSRICHMOND <@t> aol.com]

I asked Histonetters earlier whether they knew of any non-flammable coolant 
was available for the Thermo Electron Histobath.

According to my Thermo Electron Corporation representative, a non-flammable 
coolant for their Histobath frozen section freezing device is made by 3M. It's
3M™ Novec™ Engineered Fluid HFE-7100
This product belongs to a class of fluorocarbons called
"segregated hydrofluoroethers (HFE's)"
According to various MSDS, this HFE-7100 is
methyl nonafluoroisobutyl ether
C4F9-O-CH3
It melts and freezes at -135 C, so that it will remain liquid in the 
Histobath. (It would freeze solid in liquid nitrogen, however.)
It boils at 60 C., and is listed as non-flammable.
It costs around $230 a gallon.

Apparently these hydrofluorethers were introduced in 1996 to replace 
ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons, and have since found numerous uses in the 
laboratory and in industry.

What I can't find in Google is any reference to their use for freezing tissue 
for frozen sections. Is anyone on Histonet familiar with HFE-7100 ?

Bob Richmond
Gastonia NC