Abstract

Fluorine, the most electronegative element, reacts to form compounds with virtually every other element including xenon, radon, and krypton. Several of its compounds are superacids. The basic fluorine-containing minerals are fluorite and fluoroapatite, commonly called fluorspar and phosphate rock, respectively. Hydrogen fluoride is the most important industrial fluoride. The principal uses of hydrogen fluoride are to produce aluminum fluoride and synthetic cryolite, fluoropolymers, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons. Anhydrous or aqueous hydrogen fluoride, the most common reagent for the production of fluorine compounds, can cause painful and severe burns and even death.

A number of elements exhibit their highest oxidation state only as fluorides. Fluorine forms very reactive halogen fluorides. The special properties of fluorides lead to applications such as a flux in steelmaking, as catalysts, and in dentifrice additives and drinking water. In many cases the fluoride is the most volatile compound of an element. Special applications of fluorides arise such as use in uranium isotope enrichment and in applications such as chemical vapor deposition and in ion implantation for semiconductors.