9 Calcium Fluoride Uses: Facts You Should Know!

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Calcium Fluoride is an Inorganic Compound having Chemical Formula CaF2 and molecular mass 78.075g/mol. Let us see various uses of Calcium Fluoride through this article.

The different uses of Calcium Fluoride molecule in different fields are mentioned below:

  • Optical Material
  • Metal Production
  • Laser Technology
  • Nanoparticles
  • Medicinal Biotechnology
  • Dental Material
  • Basic Electrode
  • Source of Hydrogen Fluoride
  • Commercial uses

Optical Material

  • CaF2 have unique optical properties. It has an excellent ultraviolet UV transmittance.
  • Calcium Fluoride is used in beam delivery, illumination and projection system as integrated circuit lithography.
  • CaF2 being both physically stable as well as chemically inert it is used to produce optical windows and lenses. These lenses and windows are used in spectroscopy, telescopes, excimer lasers and thermal imaging system.
  • In the form of fused lenses CaF2 is used in Photolithography.
  • CaF2 is used as optical material because of its ability to withstand adverse conditions and does not fog polished surface.
  • CaF2 is thermally stable up to maximum temperature of  800oC in dry atmosphere making it suitable in cryogenically cooled thermal-imaging system.
  • CaF2 optical crystals can be used for entire optical wavelength that ranges from vacuum ultraviolet (0.1µm) to far infrared (40µm).

Metal Production

  • CaF2 mineral fluorspar is used in production of steel and magnesium as a flux. Fluorspar is added to cryolite flux and this mixture is used in production of Aluminum.
  • To increase the fluidity of slag CaF2 is used in ferrous metallurgy as a flux.

Laser Technology

  • Calcium fluoride doped with rare earth metal ion like ytterbium (Yb:CaF2) is an excellent material used in laser technology.
  • Yb:CaF2 crystals are used in pulsed a laser that utilizes thin disc geometry. It is also used in high-power bulk continuous-wave (CW).
  • Yb:CaF2 is said to be the most suitable material for terawatt laser system.
  • Calcium Fluoride is used in manufacturing and development of compact high-brightness laser source.
  • CaF2 is used for manufacturing of lenses in microscopes and telescopes.

Nanoparticles

  • CaF2 nano particle powders have very high solubility and reactivity much high than macrosized CaF2.
  • Luminescent nano particles that are based on CaF2 show unique luminescent properties. Hence, can be used as a nanoplatform for theranostic application.
  • Nanoparticle of CaF2 crystals doped with Dysprosium (Dy) (CaF2:Dy) are used as an excellent radiation detector and efficient Thermoluminescence dosimeter mainly used for high energy radiation.

Medicinal Biotechnology

  • CaF2 nanoparticles have advanced used in nanobiotechnology.
  • Small sized luminescent nanoparticles are very useful in drug delivery.

Dental Material

  • CaF2 acts as a labile fluoride reservoir in caries prophylaxis. Hence it is used in preparations of preventive dentistry.
  • Oral fluids containing low concentration of fluoride ions in the range of 0.1ppm in mouth rinses have been found to have good effect on dental caries.
  • Some materials that have  CaF2 and releases Ca2+ or F– ions is shown to work as remineralisation source to tooth structure.
  • Presence of Calcium and fluoride in dental materials reduces tooth sensitivity by reducing dentin permeability.

Basic Electrode

  • Some of the electrolysis methods have CaF2 (Fluorspar) as a coating in their base electrodes. This slag reacts as a base thereby, leaving low amount of oxygen and sulphur in the weld metal. The weld produced by this is the strongest and have high toughness than produced by any metal electrode. Due to low hydrogen content weld produced by base electrode slag have better cold cracking performance.
  • CaF2 is not soluble in saliva at neutral pH making it even better to be used in dental products.

Source of Hydrogen Fluoride

  • CaF2 is considered as a principle source for obtaining Hydrogen Fluoride (HF).
  • HF is an essential material used for production of large range of products.
  • CaF2 is treated with sulphuric acid which liberates HF and after that the HF is converted to diverse fluoride materials, Fluorine and Fluorocarbons.

Commercial uses

  • Laboratory crystallized CaF2 is used by camera manufacturing company canon for making of few of its L-series lenses since it reduces light dispersion.
  • Since camera manufacturing companies uses natural CaF2 that has mixture of impurities in it. It helps in capturing of vivid range of images since they are most colorful minerals in the world.

Conclusion

Calcium fluoride is very important substance that has vast uses in different range of fields hence; it is one of very important inorganic compound in both natural and synthetic form. It is also used in making of prisms.