Fluorine: Uses

Fluorine has an electronic configuration of 2,7, which is a positive number. Fluorine is the ninth element in the periodic table, and it has a total of nine electrons. The first two electrons will be in the 1s orbital, which is the most stable. The 2s orbital is occupied by the next two electrons in the F atom. The remaining five electrons will be placed in the 2p orbital of the nucleus. As a result, the electron configuration of the F electron will be 1s22s22p5.

Uses of fluorine

• Fluorspar is the most abundant source of fluorine on the planet. In the manufacturing process, powdered fluorspar is distilled together with concentrated sulfuric acid in a lead or cast-iron apparatus, resulting in hydrogen fluoride (HF). It is formed during the distillation process that calcium sulphate (CaSO4) is formed, which is non-soluble in hydrogen peroxide. Using fractional distillation in copper or steel vessels, the hydrogen fluoride is obtained in a relatively anhydrous state, which is then stored in steel cylinders. Sulphurous and sulfuric acids, as well as fluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6), which results from the presence of silica in the fluorspar, are the most common impurities found in commercial hydrogen fluoride products. Moisture traces can be removed by electrolysis with platinum electrodes, treatment with elemental fluorine, or storage over strong Lewis acids (MF5, where M is a metal), which can form nonvolatile (H3O)+ (MF6), salts, as shown by the following equation: 

H2O + SbF5 + HF → (H3O)+ (SbF6)

• A wide range of inorganic and organic fluorine compounds with commercial significance are produced using hydrogen fluoride, such as sodium aluminium fluoride (Na3AlF6), which is used as an electrolyte in the electrolytic smelting of aluminium metal. Water containing a solution of hydrogen fluoride gas is known as hydrofluoric acid, and it is used extensively in industry for cleaning metals, as well as for polishing, frosting, and etching glass, among other applications.

• The electrolytic procedures used to prepare the free element are carried out in the absence of water, resulting in the element being completely free. Generally, electrolysis of a melt of potassium fluoride–hydrogen fluoride (in a ratio of 1 to 2.5–5) at temperatures ranging from 30 to 70 degrees Celsius (90 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit) or 80 to 120 degrees Celsius (180 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit) or at a temperature of 250 degrees Celsius (480 degrees Fahrenheit) is used. This decreases the hydrogen fluoride content of the electrolyte, which causes the melting point to rise; it is therefore necessary to continuously add hydrogen fluoride to the electrolyte throughout the process. When the melting point of the electrolyte in the high-temperature cell exceeds 300 degrees Celsius (570 degrees Fahrenheit), the electrolyte must be replaced. Fluorine can be safely stored under pressure in stainless steel cylinders if the valves of the cylinders are free of organic matter and the cylinders themselves are free of organic matter.

• In the preparation of various fluorides, such as chlorine trifluoride (ClF3), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), or cobalt trifluoride, the element is used as a catalyst (CoF3). The fluorinating agents chlorine and cobalt are important in the fluorination of organic compounds, as are their compounds. (In certain circumstances, the element itself may be used for the fluorination of organic compounds if safety precautions are taken.) Sulphur hexafluoride is a gaseous electrical insulator that is used in a variety of applications.

• Elemental fluorine, which is often diluted with nitrogen, reacts with hydrocarbons to form corresponding fluorocarbons, which are hydrocarbons in which some or all of the hydrogen has been replaced with fluorine. Most of the time, the compounds that are formed have excellent stability, chemical inertness, high electrical resistance, and other beneficial physical and chemical properties. This fluorination can also be accomplished by treating organic compounds with cobalt trifluoride (CoF3) or electrolyzing their solutions in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, both of which are effective methods. Unsaturated fluorocarbons are readily converted into useful plastics with non-sticking properties, such as polytetrafluoroethylene [(CF2CF2)x] (also known by the trade name Teflon), which is readily available. 

• Organofluorination is the process of fluorinating organic compounds containing chlorine, bromine, or iodine to produce compounds such as dichlorodifluoromethane (Cl2CF2), which was once widely used as a coolant in most household refrigerators and air conditioners. Because chlorofluorocarbons, such as dichlorodifluoromethane, contribute significantly to the depletion of the ozone layer, their production and use have been restricted, and hydrofluorocarbon-based refrigerants are now preferred over chlorofluorocarbon-based refrigerants.

• The element is also used in the production of uranium hexafluoride (UF6), which is used in the gaseous diffusion process of separating uranium-235 from uranium-238 for use as reactor fuel in nuclear reactors. It is commercially viable to produce hydrogen fluoride and boron trifluoride (BF3) because they are effective catalysts for the alkylation reactions that are used to prepare a wide variety of organic compounds. Sodium fluoride is commonly added to drinking water in order to reduce the incidence of dental caries in children, according to the American Dental Association. Most fluorine compounds are used in pharmaceutical and agricultural applications, which have become increasingly important in recent years. The addition of fluorine to these compounds has a significant impact on their biological properties.

• Chlorofluorocarbons are commonly found in air conditioners and refrigerators, among other places.

• Molecular fluorine and atomic fluorine are used in semiconductor manufacturing for a variety of applications, including plasma etching, MEMs fabrication, and flat panel display production, to name just a few.

• It is also common practice to include fluoride-containing toothpaste in order to prevent the formation of dental cavities in the mouth.

• The metal could be used to map the circulatory system and identify any abnormalities that may be discovered within it, according to the researchers.

It has been proposed that this material be used in optoelectric nuclear batteries, which operate on light rather than electricity.

Atomic number and atomic mass of fluorine

Fluorine has an atomic number of 66.

Because fluorine has an atomic number of 9, it has nine protons and nine electrons in its atomic structure, making it the ninth chemical element in the periodic table. Fluorine is represented by the chemical symbol F.

Because the number of electrons in an atom determines the chemical behaviour of the atom, the atomic number is used to distinguish between the various chemical elements.

Fluorine has an atomic mass of 18.9984 u. 

Conclusion

A wide range of inorganic and organic fluorine compounds with commercial significance are produced using hydrogen fluoride, such as sodium aluminium fluoride (Na3AlF6), which is used as an electrolyte in the electrolytic smelting of aluminium metal. Water containing a solution of hydrogen fluoride gas is known as hydrofluoric acid, and it is used extensively in industry for cleaning metals, as well as for polishing, frosting, and etching glass, among other applications.Chlorofluorocarbons are commonly found in air conditioners and refrigerators, among other places.Fluorides are also added to toothpaste in order to prevent dental cavities from forming in the mouth. The electron configuration of the F electron will be 1s22s22p5.