Open AccessChemical Properties of Uranium Hexafluoride, UF6
Author(s) -
A. V. Grosse
Publication year - 1941
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/962915
Subject(s) - uranium hexafluoride , boiling point , melting point , chemistry , toluene , inorganic chemistry , uranium , benzene , organic chemistry , materials science , metallurgy
Uranium hexafluoride has the distinction of being the only stable gaseous compound of uranium known up to the present moment. Because of this property it is the only compound that can be used for processes of isotope separation, such as diffusion, thermal diffusion, centrifuge separation, distillation, and other of a similar nature. Here is a short description of the properties of UF{sub 6} and is intended for a reader interested only casually in this compound. UF{sub 6} is a very reactive compound and a very strong fluorinating agent. It is immediately hydrolized by water. In fluorinating reactions it is reduced to the green highly stable UF{sub 4}. It reacts instantaneously with hydrogen at room temperature. It fluorinates many metals; sodium and mercury are attacked in the cold, lead, zinc, tin and iron on heating; platinum and gold react only above 400 C. With organic compounds like alcohol, ether, benzene or toluene, immediate fluorination takes place with formation of HF and carbon or carbonaceous material. The compound forms colorless, very volatile, beautiful transparent crystals of high refractive index. Melting point = 69.5{sup o}; boiling point at 760 mm = 56.2{sup o}; D20{sup o} = 4.68. The crystals melt water pressure to a transparent colorless liquid of high density, but great mobility