Characteristic

 

Potassium fluoride is the chemical compound with the formula KF. After hydrogen fluoride, KF is the primary source of the fluoride ion for applications in manufacturing and in chemistry. It is an alkali halide and occurs naturally as the rare mineral carobbiite. Solutions of KF will etch glass due to the formation of soluble fluorosilicates, although HF is more effective.

Chemical formula：KF

Molar mass：58.0967 g/mol

Appearance：colourless

Density：2.48 g/cm³

Melting point：858 °C (1,576 °F; 1,131 K) 

Boiling point：1,502 °C (2,736 °F; 1,775 K)

Solubility in water：92 g/100 mL (18 °C)

Solubility：soluble in HF;insoluble in alcohol

Magnetic susceptibility (χ)：−23.6·10−6 cm³/mol

Crystal structure:cubic

 

Application

 

Potassium fluoride is used in metal finishing, batteries, coatings and photographic chemicals. It is utilized for the study of ion-specific swelling and de-swelling of ampholytic polymer gels as well as in the measurement of electronic polarizabilities of ions in polymers of alkali halides. It finds application in the electronic industry as a metal surface treatment product. It is used as a preservative, a food additive, a catalyzer and a water absorbing agent. In the Finkelstein reaction, it is actively involved in the conversion of chlorocarbons to fluorocarbons using polar solvents like dimethyl formamide and ethylene glycol.