Aluminium Fluoride Formula

This article deals with the aluminium fluoride formula. Aluminium fluoride is a colourless solid, that happens to be an inorganic compound. Furthermore, aluminium fluoride has a white crystal appearance whose sublimation takes place at 1272 degrees. Moreover, this compound is highly stable. It tends to resist the action of strong solvents, for example, the hot concentrated sulfuric acid. Let us take a look.

What is Aluminium Fluoride?

Aluminium fluoride occurs mostly as a hydrate. Furthermore, this hydrate comprises one or more molecules of water. Moreover, in the most common of these hydrates, for every two aluminium fluoride molecules in a crystal, there happen to be seven molecules of water. Above all, this compound is useful in making pure aluminium.

Derivation of Aluminium Fluoride Formula

Aluminium Fluoride Formula

The formula of aluminium fluoride happens to be AlF3. What this means is that for a single aluminium fluoride molecule, there exists one atom of aluminium and three atoms of fluoride.

The structure is such that aluminium is in the centre. Moreover, three fluoride atoms surround the aluminium atom by way of bonding. Also, when we look at the valence electrons of aluminium and fluoride, we gain an understanding as to why the configuration takes place.

Aluminium certainly has three valence electrons. Moreover, fluoride has seven valence electrons. Now, the highest occupied molecular orbital for aluminium and fluoride happens to be a p orbital. This means that there is a need for eight electrons in order to fill it. Hence, sharing takes place between each electron belonging to the outer shell of aluminium and a separate fluoride atom.

Consequently, this puts eight electrons in the p-orbitals of every fluoride atom. Also, the p-orbital of aluminium becomes empty. So, all the atoms in aluminium fluoride comprise of a full outer shell.

Physical Properties of Aluminium Fluoride

The appearance of aluminium fluoride is like white powder or granules. Furthermore, aluminium fluoride has an odourless characteristic. Moreover, this compound happens to be denser than water. Its solubility in water at a temperature of 25°C tends to equal .559 g / 100 mL. Also, this compound is slightly soluble in alkalis and acids. Even hot concentrated acid has little effect on aluminium fluoride.

Aluminium fluoride has a really high melting point of 1291 °C. Its vapour pressure is 1 mm at 1238 °C. Moreover, the compound is less sensitive to oxidation when one compares it to trialkylaminums. Aluminium fluoride happens to be non-flammable in nature. On reaching the point of decomposition, this compound emits fumes of hydrogen fluoride which are highly toxic. The sublimation of aluminium fluoride takes place at a high temperature of 1272 °C, and at 760 mmHg.

Chemical Properties of Aluminium Fluoride

Besides AlF3, several hydrates of aluminium fluoride are known to experts. Moreover, with the formula of AlF3.xH2O, these compounds include monohydrate x=1, a trihydrate’s two polymorphs x=3, hexahydrate x=6, and x=9 nonahydrate.

The production of the majority of aluminium fluoride takes place by treating alumina with hydrogen fluoride. Furthermore, this takes place at a temperature of 700 °C. Moreover, one may also use fluorosilicic acid to prepare aluminium fluoride. Alternatively, the manufacture of aluminium fluoride can take place by thermal decomposition of ammonium hexafluoroaluminate.

Uses of Aluminium Fluoride

Aluminium fluoride’s major use is as an additive in aluminium production and electrolysis. Furthermore, some interesting findings have revealed that aluminium fluoride has a wide variety of usages into some very specific industries and activities. For example, it is an important component in the production of fluoroaluminate glass.

Fluoroaluminate glass is useful in various optical fibre applications, such as the medical and fibre-optic imaging applications. Also, aluminium fluoride has tremendous usage in ceramics, where it happens to be the main chemical compound for finished products.

Solved Question For Aluminium Fluoride Formula

Question- What is Aluminium Fluoride and its formula?

Answer- Aluminium fluoride is a colourless solid and an inorganic compound. Moreover, the formula of aluminium fluoride happens to be AlF3.