Source of HF
Naturally occurring CaF2 is the principal source of hydrogen fluoride, a commodity chemical used to produce a wide range of materials. Hydrogen fluoride is liberated from the mineral by the action of concentrated sulfuric acid:
- CaF2(s) + H2SO4 → CaSO4(solid) + 2 HF(g)
The resulting HF is converted into fluorine, fluorocarbons, and diverse fluoride materials. As of the late 1990s, five billion kilograms were mined annually.
Read more about this topic: Calcium Fluoride
Famous quotes containing the words source of and/or source:
“We are constantly railing against the passions; we ascribe to them all of man’s afflictions, and we forget that they are also the source of all his pleasures.”
—Denis Diderot (1713–1784)
“It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities and talents.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)