Fluorine was first prepared in quantity by H. Moissan2 by the electrolysis of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid rendered conducting by the addition of potassium hydrogen fluoride. Moissan began with a platinum U-tube as his electrolyzing vessel, the openings in which were closed with fluorite stoppers in which the electrodes of platinum-iridium were set. Later he found that copper would serve equally well as an electrolyzing vessel but that platinum electrodes must be used, Fig, I. With copper electrodes, polarization took place due
The action of fluorine on organic compounds is usually very violent resulting in the total disintegration of the compound in question. In the case of hydrocarbons, hydrofluoric acid and carbon fluorides are formed. Saturated hydrocarbons such as paraffin and "Nujol" when exposed to
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