A thermogravimetric study of the fluorination of zirconium and hafnium oxides with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride gas

作者：Vilakazi Bernard M^*; Monnahela Oduetse S; Wagener Jacobus B; Carstens Pieter A B; Ntsoane Tshepo

来源：Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 2012, 141: 64-68.

DOI：10.1016/j.jfluchem.2012.06.012

• Zirconium
• Hafnium
• Zirconium oxide
• Hafnium oxide
• Zirconium tetrafluoride
• Hafnium tetrafluoride
• Thermogravimetry

Zircon mineral contains about 1-3% hafnium which is an undesirable impurity in the nuclear industry. A novel dry fluorination route was investigated to produce ZrF4 as a possible intermediate for the production of nuclear grade zirconium metal. The process was investigated by the reaction of pure ZrO2 and HfO2 with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride using a thermogravimetric analyzer. The findings indicate successful formation of ZrF4, HfF4, and oxyfluorides identified with X-ray powder diffraction. According to the TGA experiments, the stoichiometric formation of ZrF4 was realized at 525 degrees C whilst that for HfF4 was not attained.

• 出版日期2012-9