We reviewed the research progress and methods of the environmental-friendly insulation gases and their arc quenching characteristics at home and abroad

and summarized their advantages and disadvantages of various types of gases including sulfur hexafluoride（SF

6

） gas mixtures

buffer gases

and some new insulation gases. Buffer gases are difficult to meet the requirements of large current interrupter by nature property restrictions. Some fluorocarbon gases such as iodotrifluoromethane（CF

3

I） have good application prospects but the interrupter properties still need more in-depth researches. Moreover

we analyzed the arc quenching properties and application feasibility of environmental-friendly gases

and introduced the arc quenching research fields and methods of alternative gases including the gas mixture components research

gas characteristics in flow state

turbulen

ce effects

and gas decomposition suppression.