Thorium tetrafluoride

Thorium(IV) fluoride
Identifiers
13709-59-6 
EC number 237-259-6
Jmol-3D images Image
PubChem 83680
Properties
ThF4
Molar mass 308.03 g/mol
Appearance hygroscopic white crystals
Density 6.3 g/cm3
Melting point 1,110 °C (2,030 °F; 1,380 K)
Boiling point 1,680 °C (3,060 °F; 1,950 K)
1.56
Structure
Crystal structure Monoclinic, mS60
Space group C12/c1, No. 15
Hazards
EU Index Not listed
Flash point Non-flammable
Related compounds
Other anions
Thorium(IV) chloride
Thorium(IV) bromide
Thorium(IV) iodide
Other cations
Protactinium(IV) fluoride
Uranium(IV) fluoride
Neptunium(IV) fluoride
Plutonium(IV) fluoride
Related compounds
Thorium dioxide
Except where noted otherwise, data is given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa)
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Infobox references

Thorium(IV) fluoride (ThF4) is an inorganic chemical compound. It is a white, hygroscopic powder which can be produced by reacting thorium with fluorine gas. At temperatures above 500 °C, it reacts with atmospheric moisture to produce ThOF2.[1]

Uses

Despite its (mild) radioactivity, thorium fluoride is used as an antireflection material in multilayered optical coatings. It has excellent optical transparency in the range 0.35–12 µm, and its radiation is primarily due to alpha particles, which can be easily stopped by a thin cover layer of another material.[2][3]

Thorium fluoride was used in manufacturing carbon arc lamps, which provided high-intensity illumination for movie projectors and search lights.[4][5]

References

  1. Dale L. Perry, Sidney L. Phillips (1995). Handbook of inorganic compounds. CRC Press. p. 412. ISBN 0-8493-8671-3.
  2. Rancourt, James D. (1996). Optical thin films: user handbook. SPIE Press. p. 196. ISBN 0-8194-2285-1.
  3. W. Heitmann and E. Ritter (1968). "Production and properties of vacuum evaporated films of thorium fluoride". Appl. Opt. 7 (2): 307–9. doi:10.1364/AO.7.000307. PMID 20062461.
  4. McKetta, John J. (1996). Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design: Thermoplastics to Trays, Separation, Useful Capacity. CRC Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-8247-2609-X.
  5. Thorium tetrafluoride International Bio-Analytical Industries, Inc.