Abstract: Due to the serious greenhouse effect of SF₆, eco-friendly insulating gases represented by CF₃I, C₄F₇N, C₅F₁₀O and other gases have attracted more and more attention. The surface insulation characteristic is an important index to evaluate the electrical performance of the gas-solid composite insulation system, but the current research on new eco-friendly gases is not complete. In order to promote the development and application of new eco-friendly gases, this article reviews the research progress of several popular SF₆ alternative gases on the interface insulation properties. From three aspects, such as the gap breakdown characteristics and surface insulation characteristics, gas-solid interface charge accumulation characteristics, and the influence of gas decomposition and gas-solid compatibility on the surface insulation characteristics, the possibility of SF₆ alternative gases for engineering applications is discussed. Finally, three directions for the investigation of SF₆ alternative gases on the interface insulation characteristics are proposed as follows: first, the influence of frequency on creeping discharge in new eco-friendly gases should be focused on; second, the effect of charge accumulation on creeping insulation under long-term electric-thermal-mechanical compound stress in new eco-friendly gases should be investigated; third, the design of the new eco-friendly gas-solid composite insulation system should be optimized based on the influence mechanism of gas decomposition characteristics and gas-solid compatibility on the surface insulation performance.