Reaction of NF3 and SF6 with some oxides connected with heavy-metal fluoride glass processing

The fluorinating properties of NF3 and SF6 in heavy-metal fluoride glass processing were investigated between 200 and 1100 °C. Using infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy the reactions of NF3 with ZrO2 and Al2O3 and the reactions of SF6 with ZrO2, SiO2, and Ni were studied. The reaction of NF3 with zirconia and alumina starts at 300 and 650 °C, respectively (yielding nitrogen oxides, nitrogen oxyfluoride, and presumably the metal fluorides). The reaction of SF6 and zirconia starts at 600 °C, yielding SO2F2. Sulfur hexafluoride and silica yield (above 900 °C) SiF4, SO2F2, and SOF2. Nickel and SF6 react above 700 °C yielding SF4 (and presumably NiF4). The results indicate that both gases are effective in oxide conversion at typical fluoride glass melting temperatures (800–900 °C). In addition NF3 can be used as a low-temperature fluorinating source for both oxide containing fluoride and pure oxide precursors. This offers great advantages over the use of solid NH4HF2, which is typically used and which forms an additional source of contamination.