Fluorine Chemistry at High Pressures

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Florian Kraus
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 387623064

Fluorine is the most electronegative element and exhibits unique and outstanding oxidizing properties, which define a lot of its (possible) applications. However, very little is known about fluorine reactions at extreme temperature and pressure conditions (> 400 °C, > 400 bar up to approximately 4000 bar). This project is aimed towards the investigation of how fluorine and fluorine-based oxidizers, such as UF6 or ClF3, behave and react towards compounds or various elements at such high pressures and temperatures. The bold ideas to be tested include the capability of cesium to act as a p-element resulting in cesium oxidation states of more than +1; the formation of polyfluoride anions such as [F3]– and [F5]–, under these conditions; the synthesis of bulk compounds of Hg(IV), Cu(IV), Ag(V), Ir(VII), Os(VIII), Cr(VI); and more. As a side project, the chemistry of UF6, which is transported world-wide in special containers, will be tested against the durability of these container materials towards. Since the behavior of these construction materials towards UF6 in a fire (at temperatures above 400 °C) are completely unknown these interactions are worth investigating for academic andsafety reasons.

• DFG Programme: Reinhart Koselleck Projects