Plutonium(IV) fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula PuF₄. This salt is generally a brown solid but can appear a variety of colors depending on the grain size, purity, moisture content, lighting, and presence of contaminants. Its primary use in the United States has been as an intermediary product in the production of plutonium metal for nuclear weapons usage.

Formation

Plutonium(IV) fluoride is produced in the reaction between

plutonium dioxide Plutonium(IV) oxide, or plutonia, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula, formula plutonium, Puoxygen, O2. This high melting-point solid is a principal compound of plutonium. It can vary in color from yellow to olive green, depending on ...

(PuO₂) or

plutonium(III) fluoride Plutonium(III) fluoride or plutonium trifluoride is the chemical compound composed of plutonium and fluorine with the formula PuF3. This salt forms violet crystals. Plutonium(III) fluoride has the LaF3 structure where the coordination around the p ...

(PuF₃) with

hydrofluoric acid Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride (HF) in water. Solutions of HF are colorless, acidic and highly corrosive. A common concentration is 49% (48–52%) but there are also stronger solutions (e.g. 70%) and pure HF has a boiling p ...

(HF) in a stream of oxygen (O₂) at 450 to 600 °C. The main purpose of the oxygen stream is to avoid reduction of the product by hydrogen gas, small amounts of which are often found in HF.''

Gmelins Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie The Gmelin database is a large database of organometallic and inorganic compounds updated quarterly. It is based on the German publication ''Gmelins Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie'' ("Gmelin's Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry") which was original ...

'', System Nr. 71, Transurane, Teil C, pp. 104–107. :PuO₂ + O₂ + 4 HF → PuF₄ + O₂ + 2 H₂O :4 PuF₃ + O₂ + 4 HF → 4 PuF₄ + 2 H₂O Laser irradiation of plutonium hexafluoride (PuF₆) at wavelengths under 520 nm causes it to decompose into plutonium pentafluoride (PuF₅) and fluorine; if this is continued, plutonium(IV) fluoride is obtained.

Properties

In terms of its structure, solid plutonium(IV) fluoride features 8-coordinate Pu centers interconnected by doubly bridging fluoride ligands. Reaction of plutonium tetrafluoride with barium, calcium, or lithium at 1200 °C give Pu metal: :PuF₄ + 2 Ba → 2 BaF₂ + Pu :PuF₄ + 2 Ca → 2 CaF₂ + Pu :PuF₄ + 4 Li → 4 LiF + Pu Plutonium tetrafluoride color square

References

{{Actinide halides Plutonium(IV) compounds Fluorides Metal halides Nuclear materials Actinide halides