Xenon tetrafluoride is produced by heating a mixture of xenon and fluorine in a 1:5 molar ratio in a
nickel container to 400 °C. Some
xenon difluoride (XeF 2) and
xenon hexafluoride (XeF 6) is also produced, where increased temperature or decreased fluorine concentration in the input mixture favors XeF 2 production, and decreased temperature or increased fluorine concentration favors XeF 6.[9][10] The nickel is not a
catalyst for this reaction; nickel containers are used because they react with fluorine to form a protective, non-peeling
passivation layer of
nickel(II) fluorideNiF 2 on their interior surfaces. The low volatility of XeF 4 compared to XeF 2 and XeF 6 allows it to be purified by fractional sublimation.[9]
Xenon tetrafluoride has few applications. It has been shown to degrade
silicone rubber for analyzing trace metal impurities in the rubber. XeF 4 reacts with the silicone to form simple gaseous products, leaving a residue of metal impurities.[15]
References
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^
abZumdahl, Steven S. (2009). Chemical Principles (6th ed.). Houghton Mifflin Company. p. A23.
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^Chernick, C. L.; Claassen, H. H.; Fields, P. R.; Hyman, H. H.; Malm, J. G.; Manning, W. M.; Matheson, M. S.; Quarterman, L. A.; Schreiner, F.; Selig, H. H.; Sheft, I.; Siegel, S.; Sloth, E. N.; Stein, L.; Studier, M. H.; Weeks, J. L.; Zirin, M. H. (1962). "Fluorine Compounds of Xenon and Radon". Science. 138 (3537): 136–138.
Bibcode:
1962Sci...138..136C.
doi:
10.1126/science.138.3537.136.
PMID17818399.
S2CID10330125.
^Harding, Charlie; Johnson, David Arthur; Janes, Rob (2002). Elements of the p Block. Molecular World. Vol. 9. Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 93.
ISBN0-85404-690-9.
^Gillespie, R. J.; Landa, B.; Schrobilgen, G. J. (1971). "Trifluoroxenon(IV) µ-fluoro-bispentafluoroantimonate(V): the XeF+ 3 cation". Journal of the Chemical Society D: Chemical Communications (23): 1543–1544.
doi:
10.1039/C29710001543.
^Rigin, V.; Skvortsov, N. K.; Rigin, V. V. (March 1997). "Xenon tetrafluoride as a decomposition agent for silicone rubber for isolation and atomic emission spectrometric determination of trace metals". Analytica Chimica Acta. 340 (1–3): 1–3.
Bibcode:
1997AcAC..340....1R.
doi:
10.1016/S0003-2670(96)00563-6.