Rethinking Fluorine Chemistry Enabled by Mechanochemistry

Dr. Thomas Schlatzer

University of Oxford, Oxford/UK 

Dienstag, 18. August 2026, 10:00 Uhr

HS M, Technische Universität Graz

Kopernikusgasse 24, 2. OG, 8010 Graz

Abstract: Fluorochemicals are of vital importance to our modern society serving indispensable applications across multiple sectors including materials, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. From a manufacturing viewpoint, all fluorine atoms incorporated in synthetic fluorochemicals stem from naturally occurring fluorite (fluorspar, CaF2). Industrially, fluorspar is converted into hydrogen fluoride (HF) upon treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid under harsh conditions (>300 °C). This process first reported by C. W. Scheele in 1771 still represents the central pillar of the fluorochemical supply chain. However, significant safety implications regarding highly toxic and hazardous HF restrict its production and handling to specialised plants.

We have formulated a solution to this longstanding problem by direct mechanochemical conversion of fluorspar into fluorinating agents, amenable for fluorochemical synthesis, and industrially relevant alkali metal fluorides. Such solid-state technology bypasses the generation of HF and overcomes the notoriously low solubility of CaF2 in water (0.016 g·L−1) as well as other solvents. Recently, we have demonstrated that mechanochemistry is suitable for the recuperation and reuse of the fluorine content of waste perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of persistent and bioaccumulative anthropogenic pollutants. In the light of increasing pressure on the fluorochemical supply chain, these advances demonstrate that imaginative thinking based on fundamental principles can identify deceptively simple, yet impactful ways towards a sustainable and circular fluorine economy.