Hexafluorosilicic acid

Hexafluorosilicic acid
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Hexafluorosilicic acid
Systematic IUPAC name
Dihydrogen hexafluorosilicate
Other names
Fluorosilicic acid, fluosilic acid, hydrofluorosilicic acid, silicofluoride, silicofluoric acid, oxonium hexafluorosilanediuide, oxonium hexafluoridosilicate(2−)
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.037.289 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 241-034-8
RTECS number
  • VV8225000
UNII
UN number 1778
  • InChI=1S/F6Si/c1-7(2,3,4,5)6/q-2/p+2 checkY
    Key: OHORFAFFMDIQRR-UHFFFAOYSA-P checkY
  • InChI=1/F6Si/c1-7(2,3,4,5)6/q-2/p+2
    Key: OHORFAFFMDIQRR-SKRXCDHZAM
  • [H+].[H+].F[Si-2](F)(F)(F)(F)F
  • [H+].[H+].F[Si--](F)(F)(F)(F)F
Properties
F6H2Si
Molar mass 144.091 g·mol−1
Appearance transparent, colorless, fuming liquid
Odor sour, pungent
Density 1.22 g/cm3 (25% soln.)
1.38 g/cm3 (35% soln.)
1.46 g/cm3 (61% soln.)
Melting point c. 19 °C (66 °F; 292 K) (60–70% solution)
< −30 °C (−22 °F; 243 K) (35% solution)
Boiling point 108.5 °C (227.3 °F; 381.6 K) (decomposes)
miscible
1.3465
Structure
Octahedral SiF62−
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS05: Corrosive
Danger
H314
P260, P264, P280, P301+P330+P331, P303+P361+P353, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P310, P321, P363, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
3
0
0
Flash point Non-flammable
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
430 mg/kg (oral, rat)
Safety data sheet (SDS) External MSDS
Related compounds
Other anions
Hexafluorotitanic acid
Hexafluorozirconic acid
Other cations
Ammonium hexafluorosilicate

Sodium fluorosilicate

Related compounds
Hexafluorophosphoric acid
Fluoroboric acid
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
checkY verify (what is checkY☒N ?)
Infobox references

Hexafluorosilicic acid is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H
2
SiF
6
. Aqueous solutions of hexafluorosilicic acid consist of salts of the cation and hexafluorosilicate anion. These salts and their aqueous solutions are colorless.

Hexafluorosilicic acid is produced naturally on a large scale in volcanoes. It is manufactured as a coproduct in the production of phosphate fertilizers. The resulting hexafluorosilicic acid is almost exclusively consumed as a precursor to aluminum trifluoride and synthetic cryolite, which are used in aluminium processing. Salts derived from hexafluorosilicic acid are called hexafluorosilicates.

Structure

Structure of (H5O2)2SiF6. The hydrogen bonding between the fluoride and protons are indicated by dashed lines. Color code: green = F, orange = Si, red = O, gray = H.

Hexafluorosilicic acid has been crystallized as various hydrates. These include (H5O2)2SiF6, the more complicated (H5O2)2SiF6·2H2O, and (H5O2)(H7O3)SiF6·4.5H2O. In all of these salts, the octahedral hexafluorosilicate anion is hydrogen bonded to the cations.

Aqueous solutions of hexafluorosilicic acid are often described as H
2
SiF
6
.

Production and principal reactions

Hexafluorosilicic acid is produced commercially from fluoride-containing minerals that also contain silicates. Specifically, apatite and fluorapatite are treated with sulfuric acid to give phosphoric acid, a precursor to several water-soluble fertilizers. This is called the wet phosphoric acid process. As a by-product, approximately 50 kg of hexafluorosilicic acid is produced per tonne of HF owing to reactions involving silica-containing mineral impurities.: 3 

Some of the hydrogen fluoride (HF) produced during this process in turn reacts with silicon dioxide (SiO2) impurities, which are unavoidable constituents of the mineral feedstock, to give silicon tetrafluoride. Thus formed, the silicon tetrafluoride reacts further with HF.[citation needed] The net process can be described as:[page needed]

6 HF + SiO2 → SiF2−6 + 2 H3O+

Hexafluorosilicic acid can also be produced by treating silicon tetrafluoride with hydrofluoric acid.[citation needed]

Reactions

In water[clarification needed], hexafluorosilicic acid readily hydrolyzes to hydrofluoric acid and various forms of amorphous and hydrated silica ("SiO2"). At the concentration usually used for water fluoridation, 99% hydrolysis occurs and the pH drops. The rate of hydrolysis increases with pH. At the pH of drinking water, the degree of hydrolysis is essentially 100%.

H2SiF6 + 2 H2O → 6 HF + "SiO2"

Near neutral pH, hexafluorosilicate salts hydrolyze rapidly according to this equation:

SiF2−
6
+ 2 H2O → 6 F + SiO2 + 4 H+

Alkali and alkaline earth salts

Neutralization of solutions of hexafluorosilicic acid with alkali metal bases produces the corresponding alkali metal fluorosilicate salts:

H2SiF6 + 2 NaOH → Na2SiF6 + 2 H2O

The resulting salt Na2SiF6 is mainly used in water fluoridation. Related ammonium and barium salts are produced similarly for other applications. At room temperature 15-30% concentrated hexafluorosilicic acid undergoes similar reactions with chlorides, hydroxides, and carbonates of alkali and alkaline earth metals.

Sodium hexafluorosilicate for instance may be produced by treating sodium chloride (NaCl) by hexafluorosilicic acid:: 3 : 7 

2NaCl + H2SiF6 27 °C Na2SiF6↓ + 2 HCl
BaCl2 + H2SiF6 27 °C BaSiF6↓ + 2 HCl

Heating sodium hexafluorosilicate gives silicon tetrafluoride:: 8 

Na2SiF6 >400 °C SiF4 + 2 NaF

Uses

The majority of the hexafluorosilicic acid is converted to aluminium fluoride and synthetic cryolite. These materials are central to the conversion of aluminium ore into aluminium metal. The conversion to aluminium trifluoride is described as:

H2SiF6 + Al2O3 → 2 AlF3 + SiO2 + H2O

Hexafluorosilicic acid is also converted to a variety of useful hexafluorosilicate salts. The potassium salt, Potassium fluorosilicate, is used in the production of porcelains, the magnesium salt for hardened concretes and as an insecticide, and the barium salts for phosphors.

Hexafluorosilicic acid and the salts are used as wood preservation agents.

Lead refining

Hexafluorosilicic acid is also used as an electrolyte in the Betts electrolytic process for refining lead.

Rust removers

Hexafluorosilicic acid (identified as hydrofluorosilicic acid on the label) along with oxalic acid are the active ingredients used in Iron Out rust-removing cleaning products, which are essentially varieties of laundry sour.

Niche applications

H2SiF6 is a specialized reagent in organic synthesis for cleaving Si–O bonds of silyl ethers. It is more reactive for this purpose than HF. It reacts faster with t-butyldimethysilyl (TBDMS) ethers than triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) ethers.

Treating concrete

The application of hexafluorosilica acid to a calcium rich surface such as concrete will give that surface some resistance to acid attack.

CaCO3 + H2O →  Ca2+ + 2 OH + CO2
H2SiF6 → 2 H+ + SiF2−
6
SiF2−
6
+ 2 H2O → 6 F + SiO2 + 4 H+
 Ca2+ + 2 F → CaF2

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) is an insoluble solid that is acid resistant.

Natural salts

Some rare minerals, encountered either within volcanic or coal-fire fumaroles, are salts of the hexafluorosilicic acid. Examples include ammonium hexafluorosilicate that naturally occurs as two polymorphs: cryptohalite and bararite.

Safety

Hexafluorosilicic acid can release hydrogen fluoride (HF) when evaporated, so it has similar risks. Inhalation of the vapors may cause lung edema. Like hydrogen fluoride, it attacks glass and stoneware. The LD50 value of hexafluorosilicic acid is 430 mg/kg.

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-02-24 15:53 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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