Cadmium Fluoride (CdF2)-Powder

Characteristic

Cadmium fluoride (CdF₂) is a mostly water-insoluble source of cadmium used in oxygen-sensitive applications, such as the production of metallic alloys. 

Chemical formula：CdF₂

Molar mass：150.41 g/mol

Appearance：grey or white-grey crystals

Density：6.33 g/cm³, solid

Melting point：1,110 °C (2,030 °F; 1,380 K)

Boiling point：1,748 °C (3,178 °F; 2,021 K)

Solubility in water：4.35 g/100 mL

Solubility：soluble in acid

                   insoluble in ethanol alcohol and liquid ammonia

Magnetic susceptibility (χ)：-40.6·10⁻⁶ cm³/mol

Crystal structure：Fluorite (cubic), cF12

Application

CdF2 can be transformed into an electronic conductor when doped with certain rare earth elements or yttrium and treated with cadmium vapor under high temperature conditions. This process creates blue crystals with varying absorption coefficients depending on the concentrations of the dopant. A proposed mechanism explains that the conductivity of these crystals can be explained by a reaction of Cd atoms with Interstitial F− ions. This creates more CdF2 molecules and releases electrons which are weakly bonded to trivalent dopant ions resulting in n-type conductivity and a hydrogenic donor level.