Experiments show that xenon and fluorine combine readily at 400 deg C to form xenon tetrafluoride, which is colorless, crystalline, chemically stable and solid at room temperature. This process can be used for the separation of xenon from mixtures with other noble gases

Claassen, H. H.

Malm, J. G.

Selig, H. H.

English

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October 1966	 Brief 66-10467 
ICY C
AEC-NASA TECH BRIEF 
AEC-NASA Tech Briefs describe innovations resulting from the rest arch and development program 
of the U.S. AEC or from AEC-NASA interagency efforts. They are issued to encourage commercial 
application. Tech Briefs are published by NASA and may be purchased, at 15 cents each, from 
the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Xenon Forms Stable Compound with Fluorine 
Xenon, as well as the other five members of the zero 
group of elements comprising the family of noble 
gases in the periodic table, was until recently accepted 
to be incapable of forming stable compounds with 
other elements. On the basis of a paper published in 
June 1962 reporting a chemical reaction of xenon with 
platinum hexafluoride vapor, it was decided to investi-
gate the possibility of a direct reaction between xenon 
and fluorine. 
The experiments show that xenon and fluorine com-
bine readily at 4000C to form xenon tetrafluoride, 
XeF4, which is a colorless, crystalline, chemically 
stable solid at room temperature. The process is con-
veniently carried out in a closed nickel vessel. The two 
gases, with the fluorine in moderate excess of the stoi-
chiometricaliy equivalent amount, are passed into the 
vessel, which is then heated for approximately 25 min-
utes at 4000C. At the end of this time, the reaction 
product is rapidly cooled to room temperature. The 
excess fluorine gas is then pumped off while the reac-
tion vessel is cooled to —78 0 C with dry ice. The xenon 
tetrafluoride crystals are recovered in high yield, es-
sentially 100 percent with respect to the quantity of 
xenon used. 
Notes: 
I. This process can be used for the separation of 
xenon from mixtures with other noble gases, such 
as helium, argon, and krypton, which were found 
not to react with fluorine under the conditions of 
this process.
Further information concerning this process is 
given in "Fluorine Compounds of Xenon and 
Radon" by C. L. Chernick, et al, Science, 12 Oct. 
1962, vol. 138, no. 3537; "Noble Gas Compounds", 
edited by Herbert H. Hyman, The University of 
Chicago Press, Chicago and London, The Univer-
sity of Toronto Press, Toronto 5, Canada, Library 
of Congress Catalog No. 63-20907; and U.S. Patent 
No. 3,183,061, available from U.S. Patent Office. 
3. Inquiries may also be directed to: 
Office of Industrial Cooperation 
Argonne National Laboratory 
9700 S. Cass Avenue 
Argonne, Illinois 60439 
Reference: B66-10467 
Patent status: 
Inquiries about obtaining rights for commercial use 
of this innovation may be made to: 
Mr. George H. Lee, Chief 
Chicago Patent Group 
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 
Chicago Operations Office 
9800 South Cass Avenue 
Argonne, Illinois 60439 
Source: Howard H. Claassen,
Henry H. Selig, and John G. Maim
Chemistry Division 
(ARG-4) 
Category 03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the Atomic 
Energy Commission and/or the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. Neither the United States Government nor any per-
son acting on behalf of the United States Government assumes any
liability resulting from the use of the information contained in this 
document, or warrants that the use of any information, apparatus, 
method, or process disclosed in this document may not infringe pri-
vately owned rights.
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Xenon forms stable compound with fluorine

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