History of fluorine

Fluorine is a relatively new element in human applications. In ancient times,

only minor uses of fluorine-containing minerals existed. The industrial use
of fluorite, fluorine's source mineral, was first described by early
scientist Georgius Agricola in the 16th century, in the context of smelting.
The name "fluorite" (and later "fluorine") derives from Agricola's invented
Latin terminology. In the late 18th century, hydrofluoric acid was
discovered. By the early 19th century, it was recognized that fluorine was a
bound element within compounds, similar to chlorine. Fluorite was
determined to be calcium fluoride.
Because of fluorine's tight bonding as well as the toxicity of hydrogen
fluoride, the element resisted many attempts to isolate it. In 1886, French
chemist Henri Moissan, later a Nobel Prize winner, succeeded in making
elemental fluorine by electrolyzing a mixture of potassium fluoride and
hydrogen fluoride. Large-scale production and use of fluorine began during
World War 2 as part of the Manhattan Project. Earlier in the century, the
main fluorochemicals were commercialized by the DuPont company:
refrigerant gases (Freon) and polytetrafluoroethylene plastic (Teflon).

Moissan's fluorine cell,

from his 1887
publication
Fluorine
Chemical element
Symbol: F
Atomic number: 9
Atomic mass: 18.998403 u ± 5 ×
10^-7 u
Melting point: -219.6 °C
Electron configuration: [He]
2s22p5
Discoverer: Henri Moissan
Fluorine was finally isolated in 1886, by French chemist Henri Moissan –
whose own work was interrupted four times by serious poisoning caused by
the element he was pursuing. Moissan isolated fluorine by electrolysis of
dry potassium hydrogen fluoride and anhydrous hydrofluoric acid.

IMPORTANCE OF ELEMENT
Half of fluorine production every year is used for steel making. Almost of the
other half is used for aluminum refining, resulting in over 15 billion US dollars
every year in revenue.

PRODUCTS
 Toothpaste
 Teflon pan
 Fluorine is used to enhance rocket fuel
 Refrigerator
 Insecticide
 Air condition
Raw fluorine with other elements