[en] We have proposed earlier the use of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) in combination with other gases for application as insulators in high voltage equipment. The potential use of these compounds requires knowledge of the effects resulting from electron impact in the 0 to 10 eV energy range (a region in which the preponderance of electron energies lie prior to breakdown). Electrons in this energy range attach to molecules either nondissociatively (e + AX → AX^-) or dissociatively (e + AX → A^- + X). The stability of the molecule toward low-energy electrons depends on which mode of attachment predominates. We have studied previously a number of cyclic and unsaturated PFCs of dielectric interest. Saturated perfluoroalkanes, having the form n-C_NF_{2N + 2} with N = 3 to 6, are also attractive for this purpose (C₃F₈ and n-C₄F₁₀ for example, have dc uniform breakdown strengths of, respectively, 90 and 130% that of SF₆). We have, thus, undertaken a systematic study of these compounds using the electron swarm and the electron beam (by time-of-flight mass spectrometry) methods. The results obtained with the latter method are reported and discussed. Results obtained by the former method have been reported earlier