19 Chlorine Fluoride Uses : Facts You Should Know!

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Chlorine fluoride, an interhalogen compound, exists in three variants ClF, ClF3 and ClF5. Let us explore important facts about its uses across industries.

Chlorine monofluoride is a stable compound with an atomic weight of 54.45 gm/mol and generally used in many industries:

  • Research field
  • Geological 
  • Rocket/Space 
  • Nuclear Power 
  • Paper 
  • Ceramic 
  • Semiconductor 
  • Printmaking

The article will highlight a detailed application of different forms of chlorine fluoride compound across various sectors.

Research field

  • Chlorine fluoride is widely used as a fluorinating agent.
  • The ClF is used in the reaction of metal and non-metals to release Chlorine gas.
  • Chlorine fluoride is used to produce carbonyl chloride fluoride from carbon monoxide.
  • ClF, a colorless gas, is used to convert fluoridated compounds into chlorinated ones. For example, it can convert AgF, CoF2, and NiCl2 into AgCl, CoF2 or NiF2, respectively.
  • Chlorine monofluoride, a volatile compound, is used as an excellent oxidant.
  • The gaseous compound, Chlorine fluoride acts as an excellent compound to generate fluorine gasses.
  • ClF is used to inhibit pyrolysis during the reaction of fluorocarbon polymers.

Geological industry

Chlorine monofluoride is used to erode quartz in the presence of moisture for various industrial purposes.

Space/ Rocket Industry

  • Chlorine fluoride is utilized for igniting purposes for spaceships.
  • As a chemical substituent, ClF acts as the propellant for rockets.
  • Chlorine pentafluoride is used for rocket propellant more than chlorine trifluoride because ClF5 has a higher specific impulse.
  • In order to prevent ignition delay for satellites or rocket launchers, Chlorine fluoride is used as it is a good hypergolic substance with every known fuel.

Nuclear Power Industry

  • Chlorine fluoride serves the purpose of processing nuclear fuel.
  • The gaseous compound, ClF is also used to convert uranium into its gaseous hexafluoride counterparts during the nuclear processing reaction.

Ceramic Industry

Chlorine fluoride, an ionized gas, is used for plasma less cleaning because it removes organic matter, impurities, and contaminants from the upper surfaces of gaseous species.

Semiconductor industry

  • Chlorine fluoride is utilized for cleaning purposes of chemical vapor deposition chambers.
  • The chemical, chlorine fluoride helps to remove semiconductor materials to dismantle the vapor chamber easily.

Paper/ Wood Industry

Chlorine fluoride acts as an excellent pulp bleaching agent due to its distinctive sweet odor.

Printmaking Industry

Chlorine fluoride is used for etching purposes to design hard metal surfaces along with the engraving process.

Conclusion

Chlorine fluoride, a versatile chemical agent, poses intermediate chemical properties between parent halogens, that is, F2 and Cl2. The compound is produced by the fluorination of chlorine gas and separated by the distillation method.