Production and Applications
Ammonium bifluoride is a component of some etchants. It attacks silica component of glass:
- SiO2 + 4 → SiF4 + 4 F + 2 H2O
Potassium bifluoride is a related more commonly used etchant.
Ammonium bifluoride has been considered as an intermediate in the production of hydrofluoric acid from hexafluorosilicic acid. Thus, hexafluorosilicic acid is hydrolyzed to give ammonium fluoride, which thermally decomposes to give the bifluoride:
- H2SiF6 + 6 NH3 + 2 H2O → SiO2 + 6 NH4F
- 2 NH4F → NH3 + HF2
The resulting ammonium bifluoride is converted to the sodium bifluoride, which thermally decomposes to release HF.
Read more about this topic: Ammonium Bifluoride
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