Industrial

Hydrofluoric Acid

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Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. It is a valued source of fluorine, being the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and diverse materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon).

Hydrofluoric acid is a highly corrosive acid, capable of dissolving many materials, especially oxides. Because of its high reactivity toward glass and moderate reactivity toward many metals, hydrofluoric acid is usually stored in plastic containers although polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is slightly permeable