Gallium(III) fluoride
Encyclopedia
Gallium fluoride (Ga
F3
) is a chemical compound
. A white solid it melts above 1000°C but sublimes around 950°C. It has the FeF3
structure where the gallium atoms are 6 coordinate. GaF3 can be prepared by reacting F2
or HF
with Ga2O3
or by thermal decomposition of (NH4)3GaF6.GaF3 is virtually insoluble in water. Solutions of GaF3 in HF can be evaporated to form the trihydrate, GaF3.3H2O which on heating gives a hydrated form of GaF2(OH). Gallium(III) fluoride reacts with mineral acid
s to form the highly toxic hydrofluoric acid
.
Gallium
Gallium is a chemical element that has the symbol Ga and atomic number 31. Elemental gallium does not occur in nature, but as the gallium salt in trace amounts in bauxite and zinc ores. A soft silvery metallic poor metal, elemental gallium is a brittle solid at low temperatures. As it liquefies...
F3
Fluorine
Fluorine is the chemical element with atomic number 9, represented by the symbol F. It is the lightest element of the halogen column of the periodic table and has a single stable isotope, fluorine-19. At standard pressure and temperature, fluorine is a pale yellow gas composed of diatomic...
) is a chemical compound
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
. A white solid it melts above 1000°C but sublimes around 950°C. It has the FeF3
Iron(III) fluoride
Iron fluoride, also known as ferric fluoride, is an inorganic compound. It exists in an anhydrous form as well as two hydrated forms . It is produced commercially mostly for laboratory work and is not as useful as the related compound iron chloride...
structure where the gallium atoms are 6 coordinate. GaF3 can be prepared by reacting F2
Fluorine
Fluorine is the chemical element with atomic number 9, represented by the symbol F. It is the lightest element of the halogen column of the periodic table and has a single stable isotope, fluorine-19. At standard pressure and temperature, fluorine is a pale yellow gas composed of diatomic...
or HF
Hydrogen fluoride
Hydrogen fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula HF. This colorless gas is the principal industrial source of fluorine, often in the aqueous form as hydrofluoric acid, and thus is the precursor to many important compounds including pharmaceuticals and polymers . HF is widely used in the...
with Ga2O3
Gallium(III) oxide
Gallium oxide is a chemical compound used in vacuum deposition and as part of the manufacturing of semiconductor devices.-Preparation:...
or by thermal decomposition of (NH4)3GaF6.GaF3 is virtually insoluble in water. Solutions of GaF3 in HF can be evaporated to form the trihydrate, GaF3.3H2O which on heating gives a hydrated form of GaF2(OH). Gallium(III) fluoride reacts with mineral acid
Mineral acid
A mineral acid is an acid derived from one or more inorganic compounds. A mineral acid is not organic and all mineral acids release hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.-Characteristics:...
s to form the highly toxic hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid
Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. It is a valued source of fluorine and is the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals such as fluoxetine and diverse materials such as PTFE ....
.