Uses of Fluorine

Uses of Fluorine

Fluorine is so difficult to handle that until World War II it had practically no commercial use. Some of the present day commercial uses of fluorine are :

• In the separation of isotopes of uranium U-235 from UF₆, F₂ is used to make UF₆.
• For the manufacture of Freon’s, CCl₂F₂ and CHClF₂, which are used widely as refrigerants and in aerosol sprays.
• For manufacturing of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethene) F₂ is used. The non-stick coating in the frying pan is a layer of Teflon.

F₂C – CF₂

• In the form of salts like SnF₂ it is used in preventing tooth decay in the form of tooth paste.
• For the manufacture of sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) which is used as an insulating gas (dielectric) in high voltage equipment.
• For producing compounds such as, NF₃ and OF₂, which are used in rocket f
• Many compounds of fluorine are used in the industry. For example, Na₃AlF₆ (cryolite) is used in the extraction of aluminium, HF is used for etching of glass, NaF is used for fluoridation of water (1 ppm).
• BF₃ is prepared from fluorine, which is used as a Lewis catalyst.