Flourine

Fluorine

Statistics of Fluorine

Fluorine is a Chemical Element with an

Atomic Number : 9

Atomic Mass: 18.9984032 Atomic Mass Units 

Atomic Symbol: F
Melting Point: -219.6 °C

Boiling Point: -118.12°C

Period Number: 2

Valence Electrons: 7
Phase of Fluorine at room temperature: Gas
Group: Halogens
Group Number: 17

Density :0.001696 g/cm³ 

Isotopes: Fluorine-19 (¹⁹F)

Allotropes: Difluorine
% in Universe: 0.00004%

% in Sun: 0.00005%

% in Meteorites: 0.0087%

% in Earth's Crust: 0.054% 

% in Oceans: 0.00013%

% in Humans: 0.0037%

In 1529, Georgius Agricola described fluorite as an additive used to lower the melting point of metals during smelting. He penned the Latin word fluorés (fluo, flow) for fluorite rocks. The name later evolved into fluorspar (still commonly used) and then fluorite. The composition of fluorite was later determined to be calcium difluoride.

Hydrofluoric acid was used in glass etching from 1720 onwards. Andreas Sigismund Marggraf first characterized it in 1764 when he heated fluorite with sulfuric acid, and the resulting solution corroded its glass container. Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele repeated the experiment in 1771, and named the acidic product fluss-spats-syran (fluorspar acid). In 1810, the French physicist André-Marie Ampère suggested that hydrogen and an element analogous to chlorine constituted hydrofluoric acid. Sir Humphry Davy proposed that this then-unknown substance be named fluorine from fluoric acid and the -ine suffix of other halogens. This word, with modifications, is used in most European languages; Greek, Russian, and some others (following Ampère's suggestion) use the name ftor or derivatives, from the Greek φθόριος (phthorios, destructive) .The New Latin name fluorum gave the element its current symbol F; Fl was used in early papers.

Initial studies on fluorine were so dangerous that several 19th-century experimenters were deemed "fluorine martyrs" after misfortunes with hydrofluoric acid. Isolation of elemental fluorine was hindered by the extreme corrosiveness of both it and hydrogen fluoride, as well as the lack of a simple and suitable electrolyte. Edmond Frémy postulated that electrolysis of pure hydrofluoric acid to generate fluorine was feasible and devised a method to produce anhydrous samples from acidified potassium bifluoride; instead, he discovered that the resulting (dry) hydrogen fluoride did not conduct electricity. Frémy's former student Henri Moissan persevered, and after much trial and error found that a mixture of potassium bifluoride and dry hydrogen fluoride was a conductor, enabling electrolysis. To prevent rapid corrosion of the platinum in his electrochemical cells, he cooled the reaction to extremely low temperatures in a special bath and forged cells from a more resistant mixture of platinum and iridium, and used fluorite stoppers. In 1886, after 74 years of effort by many chemists, Moissan isolated elemental fluorine.

In 1906, two months before his death, Moissan received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry,with the following citation: In recognition of the great services rendered by him in his investigation and isolation of the element fluorine ... The whole world has admired the great experimental skill with which you have studied that savage beast among the elements.

Importance of Fluorine

Fluorine is essential for the normal mineralization of bones and the formation of dental enamel. Thus 96% of the Fluoride in the body is found in bones and teeth. The Fluorine and Calcium has strong affinity between them and work together, mainly in the outer parts of bones. It also prevents dental caries, by reducing the solubility of the enamel in acids produced by bacteria. A very small amount of it may help in development of tooth, but excess of it causes dental fluorosis-endemic areas. While also protecting the spleen.

Bad Effects of Fluorine

Fluoride is a highly toxic substance. Consider, for example, the poison warning that the FDA now requires on all fluoride toothpastes sold in the U.S. or the tens of millions of people throughout China and India who now suffer serious crippling bone diseases from drinking water with elevated levels of fluoride. In terms of acute toxicity (i.e., the dose that can cause immediate toxic consequences), fluoride is more toxic than lead, but slightly less toxic than arsenic. This is why fluoride has long been used in rodenticides and pesticides to kill pests like rats and insects. It is also why accidents involving over-ingestion of fluoridated dental products–includingfluoride gels, fluoride supplements, and fluoridated water–can cause serious poisoning incidents, including death.

Experiment

Want to see a cool experiment on fluorine? Click on the link to see the cool experiment.

Wasn't that awesome! You can actually use fluorine to make a fire!

How Flourine is used and The History of Flourine

There was no commercial production of fluorine until the Second World War, when the development of the atom bomb, and other nuclear energy projects, made it necessary to produce large quantities. Before this, fluorine salts, known as fluorides, were for a long time used in welding and for frosting glass.

The element is used to make uranium hexafluoride, needed by the nuclear power industry to separate uranium isotopes. It is also used to make sulfur hexafluoride, the insulating gas for high-power electricity transformers.

In fact, fluorine is used in many fluorochemicals, including solvents and high-temperature plastics, such as Teflon (poly(tetrafluoroethene), PTFE). Teflon is well known for its non-stick properties and is used in frying pans. It is also used for cable insulation, for plumber’s tape and as the basis of Gore-Tex® (used in waterproof shoes and clothing).

Hydrofluoric acid is used for etching the glass of light bulbs and in similar applications.

CFCs (chloro-fluoro-carbons) were once used as aerosol propellants, refrigerants and for ‘blowing’ expanded polystyrene. However, their inertness meant that, once in the atmosphere, they diffused into the stratosphere and destroyed the Earth’s ozone layer. They are now banned.

Interesting Facts about Fluorine

1. Henri Moissan, who first isolated fluorine, also produced the world’s first artificial diamonds by applying huge pressures to charcoal.
2. Fluorine is the most chemically reactive element. It reacts, often very vigorously, with all of the other elements except oxygen, helium, neon and krypton.
3. Fluorine is the most electronegative element. This means that in molecules fluorine attracts electrons more powerfully than any other element can.
4. Hydrofluoric acid, HF, dissolves glass. Its fluoride ions have a high affinity for calcium and can cause death by interfering with the body’s blood calcium metabolism when absorbed through the skin.