Cerium(III) Fluoride Chemical Properties

Melting point:

1640 °C

Boiling point:

2300 °C

Density 

6.16 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

Flash point:

2300°C

solubility 

Soluble in strong mineral acids.

form 

Powder

color 

white to off-white

Specific Gravity

6.16

Water Solubility 

Practically insoluble in, but slowly hydrolyzed by water

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

Crystal Structure

LaF3 type

crystal system

Three sides

Merck 

14,1998

Solubility Product Constant (Ksp)

pKsp: 15.1

Space group

P3c1

Lattice constant

a/nm	b/nm	c/nm	α/o	β/o	γ/o	V/nm3
0.713	0.713	0.729	90	90	120	0.3209

Exposure limits

ACGIH: TWA 2.5 mg/m3
NIOSH: IDLH 250 mg/m3; TWA 2.5 mg/m3

Stability:

hygroscopic

CAS DataBase Reference

7758-88-5(CAS DataBase Reference)

NIST Chemistry Reference

Cerium trifluoride(7758-88-5)

EPA Substance Registry System

Cerium fluoride (CeF3) (7758-88-5)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

Xi,Xn

Risk Statements 

36/37/38-20/21/22

Safety Statements 

22-24/25-37/39-26-36/37

WGK Germany 

2

RTECS 

FK6125000

Hazard Note 

Irritant

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

28461000

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:Cerium fluoride
• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich
• Language:English Provider:ACROS
• Language:English Provider:ALFA

Cerium(III) Fluoride Usage And Synthesis

Uses

Cerium Fluoride, is the important raw material for polishing powder, special glass, metallurgical applications. In glass industry, it is considered to be the most efficient glass polishing agent for precision optical polishing. It is also used to decolorize glass by keeping iron in its ferrous state. In steel manufacturing, it is used to remove free Oxygen and Sulfur by forming stable oxysulfides and by tying up undesirable trace elements, such as lead and antimony.

Description

Cerium(III) Fluoride (CeF3), in particular, is successfully used in experiments in high-energy physics. As a potential scintillator and a tunable laser material, CeF3 is a luminescent material with 100% activator (Ce3+) concentration. CeF3 has been previously prepared by several methods, including the reaction of CeO2 with fluorine gas at elevated temperature, using high-intensity ultrasound, rapid microwave method, thermal decomposition of precursors, hydrothermal synthesis, synthesis by precipitation from aqueous solutions, sol-gel method, synthesis of nanoparticles in colloidal nanoreactors, solvothermal method and conventional melting technique[1].

Chemical Properties

Off-white powder. Insoluble in water and acids.

Uses

In arc carbons to increase their brilliance; prepa- ration of cerium metal.

Uses

Cerium(III) fluoride is used to make Lewis acid. It is considered to be the most effective glass polishing agent for high precision optical polishing. Cerium fluoride used as a core additive to improve the properties of the eventual weld. The fluoride provides stability to the arc and also modifies the behavior of the molten metal flowing into the weld.

Hazard

An irritant.

Flammability and Explosibility

Non flammable

Safety Profile

Low toxicity by ingestion. See FLUORIDES and CERIUM COMPOUNDS. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of F-.

References

[1] V.G. Ilves, M.A. Uimin, S. Yu Sokovnin . “Properties of cerium (III) fluoride nanopowder obtained by pulsed electron beam evaporation.” Journal of Fluorine Chemistry 253 (2022): Article 109921.

Cerium(III) Fluoride(7758-88-5)Related Product Information

• Aluminum fluoride
• Sodium fluoride
• FLUORIDE STANDARD
• Ammonium fluoride
• Hydrogen fluoride
• TITANIUM(III) FLUORIDE
• CERIUM
• Ammonium hydrogen difluoride
• Sulfur hexafluoride
• Potassium fluoride
• CERIUM(III) CHLORIDE
• Boron trifluoride
• CERIUM
• Fluorine
• CERIUM(IV) FLUORIDE
• CERIUM (IV) FLUORIDE HYDRATE
• sodium fluoride
• Cerium fluoride