home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- title = The discovery of Fluorine
-
- The isolation of fluorine had challenged chemist for many years, taking
- the lives of at least two scientists in the process. Fluorine receives its
- name from the Latin, fluo, meaning flow.
- The first real attempt to free
- fluorine, was done by a chemist by the name of Humphyry Davy, between the years
- of (1811-1813). He first tried to liberate the element by using the chemical
- methods, but this failed. He then went on to try and electrolysis process using
- batteries. The problem with this was that the electrolytes used either produced
- Hydrogen and Oxygen or fluoric acid in vapor form, making it difficult to study.
- He then went on to fashion a electrochemical cell from horn silver because
- the hydrogen fluoride attacked glass. But this also failed , his hydrogen
- fluoride contained water. Davy gave up.
- Next Louis-Joseph Gay-Lussac and
- Louis-Jacques Thenard were able to create a liquid hydrogen fluoride free of
- water. But it doesn't conducted the electricity needed for electrolysis. Thus
- ended their weak attempts to create fluorine.
- In 1834, Faraday (God of Electrolysis),
- used the electrolysis of lead fluoride in platinum vessels to yield fluoride
- vapors, HORAA! But no after rigorous examination he too failed.
- Then along
- came a student of Faraday, Henri Moissan, he used electrolysis with hydrogen
- fluoride and Fremy's method , the result ,a yellow gas fluoride. Finally after
- the loss several scientists lives, not to mention the pain and suffering felt
- at the hands of chemists while strange chemicals ate through their vital organs.
- All of this in the name of Science, and there quest to find new elements.
- That can accomplish many new wonderful things such as the separation of
- uranium. That we can use in Nuclear power plants to supply 3 percent of the
- world's power and in nuclear weapons so powerful they can only be used for
- peace keeping.
- But Fluorine can also be used for other useful things like
- in pharmaceuticals, , insecticides, and high energy fuels. Hey these fuels
- can be used to make dragsters faster or help in NASA's quest.
-
-
-
-
-