Fluorine is the most electronegative of all the elements, and it has one of the highest ionization potentials. When substituted for one or more hydrogen atoms, fluorine’s presence in a molecule can have a profound effect on physical properties, reactivity, biological activity, solvency and stability.
The following are just a few of the numerous applications that benefit from fluorochemistry:
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Pharmaceuticals - fluorinated compounds have shown efficacy as antibacterials, antifungals, antibiotics, anesthetics, protease inhibitors and anticancer agents, among many other applications. |
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Agricultural Chemicals - fluorinated compounds are used as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides and often show more potency than their non-fluorinated analogues. The increased potency allows lower application rates. |
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Advanced Photoresists - in the quest for finer features in semiconductor lithography, photoresist polymers incorporating fluorine and/or fluorinated substituents exhibit the best combination of optical transparency at shorter wavelengths, etch resistance and solubility. |
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Liquid Crystals - for use in display devices. The addition of fluorine has been found to change viscosity, miscibility, electrical properties, steric characteristics and other qualities that are important to these devices. |
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Fluorinated Surfactants - utilized as emulsifying and dispersing agents, while related compounds are used as repellant finishes or soil-release finishes for textiles. These compounds rely on the ability of fluorine to alter surface-energy properties. |
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Dyes - the addition of fluorine or fluorinated substituents, such as the CF3 group, has been found to improve the fixation yield, lightfastness and chemical resistance of dyes. |
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Fluoroplastics and Fluoroelastomers - used as coatings, vessel liners, films, wiring insulation, gaskets, seals, lab equipment and hoses because of their chemical and thermal stability. |
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Ion-Exchange Membranes - fluoropolymer membranes are used for enhanced chemical and thermal stability in harsh environments. |