Fluorination of Substances and Surfaces

Fluorine was isolated by Henri Moissan at the end of June 1886 during an electrolysis of liquefied anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, containing potassium fluoride, at -23°C. The gas, produced at the anode, was fluorine. This achievement earned Moissan the 1906 Nobel prize in chemistry. Thousands of tons of fluorine are being produced today by essentially the same, albeit slightly improved, electrolytic method. Obviously, this scale of fluorine production means that fluorine chemistry has turned into an important branch of industry. This development can be understood if we look at fluorine from a chemist s point of view. 

what is so unusual in this pale yellow highly toxic gas that condenses to a pale greenish-yellow liquid at -188°C, solidifies to a yellow solid at -220°C, has a strong ozone-like odor, and is easily detectable at concentrations about 0.1-0.2 ppm(= ml/m3).5 

Another, more recent, fluorine contribution to the development of new branches of chemical science is connected with fullerenes, the first members of this family of close-caged molecules being obtained only about a decade ago. Fullerenes, having the composition C , C70, C76, C84.. . , represent the new 

Thus one can draw the conclusion that there is no element in the periodic table, including other halogens and oxygen, that possesses stronger oxidizing properties than fluorine, which is really at the head of the oxidants series  

The molecules participate in the chemical reactions as carriers of the atoms and radicals. According to such an interpretation one can consider molecular fluorine as the simplest chemical compound of atoms—FF (like C1F, 

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However, the fact that industrial applications of polymer surface fluorination employ a fluorine/nitrogen mixture as the fluorinating agent complicates matters because fluorine gas is toxic, may explode when brought into contact with organic substances, and causes severe bums on human tissue. Moreover, the use of fluorine requires highly qualified personnel and special safety systems. 

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