Uranium hexafluoride

Uranium hexafluoride (UF₆) is a volatile uranium compound that readily forms a gas. Its volatility enables uranium isotope separation by gaseous diffusion and gas centrifuges.

Uranium enrichment: Uranium enrichment increases the proportion of uranium-235 relative to uranium-238. UF₆ supplies the gaseous feed used in major enrichment processes.
Uranium: Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element with atomic number 92. Uranium atoms form the central metal component of UF₆.
Nuclear fuel cycle: The nuclear fuel cycle comprises the processes that produce, use, and manage materials for nuclear reactors. UF₆ is an intermediate in preparing uranium for reactor fuel.
Hydrolysis: Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with water. UF₆ reacts with moisture to form uranyl fluoride and corrosive hydrogen fluoride.
Gas centrifuge: A gas centrifuge separates molecules by rotating gas rapidly so heavier molecules concentrate farther outward. Centrifuges exploit the slight mass difference between UF₆ molecules containing different uranium isotopes.
Fluorine: Fluorine is a highly reactive chemical element with atomic number 9. Six fluorine atoms surround uranium in each UF₆ molecule.
Uranium conversion: Uranium conversion changes uranium compounds into forms suited to enrichment or fuel fabrication. Conversion plants produce UF₆ from uranium concentrates before enrichment.
Hydrogen fluoride: Hydrogen fluoride is a corrosive compound of hydrogen and fluorine that forms hydrofluoric acid in water. Its formation during UF₆ exposure to moisture makes leaks especially hazardous.
Gaseous diffusion: Gaseous diffusion separates gas molecules through a porous barrier, favoring lighter molecules slightly. UF₆ was the process gas in large-scale diffusion enrichment plants.
Uranium-235: Uranium-235 is a fissile isotope of uranium containing 92 protons and 143 neutrons. Its UF₆ molecules are slightly lighter than those containing uranium-238.

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