Lithium fluoride
IUPAC name	Lithium fluoride
Identifiers
CAS number	7789-24-4 Y
PubChem	224478
EC number	232-152-0
RTECS number	OJ6125000
Properties
Molecular formula	LiF
Molar mass	25.939(2) g/mol
Appearance	white powder or transparent crystals, non-hygroscopic
Density	2.635 g/cm3
Melting point	845 °C, 1118 K, 1553 °F
Boiling point	1676 °C, 1949 K, 3049 °F
Solubility in water	0.27 g/100 mL (18 °C) [1]
Solubility	soluble in HF insoluble in alcohol
Refractive index (nD)	1.39937
Structure
Crystal structure	Cubic
Molecular shape	Linear
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation ΔfHo298	-23.75 kJ/g
Standard molar entropy So298	1.376 J/(g K)
Specific heat capacity, C	1.604 J/(g K)
Related compounds
Other anions	Lithium chloride Lithium bromide Lithium iodide
Other cations	Sodium fluoride Potassium fluoride Rubidium fluoride Caesium fluoride
Y (what is this?)  (verify) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Lithium fluoride is a chemical compound of lithium and fluorine. It is a white, inorganic, crystalline, ionic, solid salt under standard conditions. It transmits ultraviolet radiation more efficiently than any other known substance. Uses include specialized UV optics,^[2] and as a means to record gamma and neutron exposure in thermoluminescent dosimeters. Lithium fluoride also has a very high electrical resistance due to its wide band gap. Griceite is the name for very rare mineralogical form of LiF.

Lithium fluoride (highly enriched in the common isotope lithium-7) forms the basic constituent of the preferred fluoride salt mixture used in liquid-fluoride nuclear reactors. Typically lithium fluoride is mixed with beryllium fluoride to form a base solvent, into which fluorides of uranium and thorium are introduced. Lithium fluoride is exceptionally chemically stable and LiF/BeF₂ mixtures have low melting points and the best neutronic properties of fluoride salt combinations appropriate for reactor use.

[edit] References

1. ^ Pradyot Patnaik. Handbook of Inorganic Chemicals. McGraw-Hill, 2002, ISBN 0070494398
2. ^ "Crystran Ltd., a manufacturer of infrared and ultraviolet optics". http://www.crystran.co.uk/lithium-fluoride-lif.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-28. 

1. "Lithium fluoride". http://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?ID=C7789244&Units=SI. Retrieved 2006-02-26. 

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