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Uranium hexafluoride

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uranium hexafluoride
Identifiers
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.116
Properties
UF6
Molar mass 352.02 g·mol−1
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 4: Very short exposure could cause death or major residual injury. E.g. VX gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 2: Undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures, reacts violently with water, or may form explosive mixtures with water. E.g. white phosphorusSpecial hazard W+OX: Reacts with water in an unusual or dangerous manner AND is oxidizer
4
0
2
W
OX
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Uranium hexafluoride is a chemical compound made of uranium and fluorine. It has the chemical formula UF6. Uranium hexafluoride is important in uranium enrichment, which separates isotopes of uranium to make nuclear fuel and nuclear weapons.

Uranium hexafluoride is a white solid at room temperature, but turns into a gas at the relatively low 56.5 °C (133.7 °F).

Uses

[change | change source]

Fluorine has only one stable isotope, meaning that any change in molecular mass between molecules of UF6 is because of the uranium atom. This allows isotopes to be physically separated based on their mass.

Gas centrifuges are used to separate different isotopologues of UF6, producing a stream containing "enriched" uranium-235 (and other fissile isotopes) and another containing "depleted" uranium-238.

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