Plutonium tetrafluoride
Plutonium fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula. Like all plutonium compounds, for signatories to the treaty, plutonium tetrafluoride is subject to declaration and control under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty through agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
There are multiple reaction paths for producing plutonium metal from PuF4 including reacting plutonium tetrafluoride with barium, calcium, or lithium at 1200 °C:
Plutonium tetrafluoride can appear a variety of colors depending on the grain size, purity, moisture content, lighting, and presence of contaminants. Its primary use in the United States has been as an intermediary product in the production of plutonium metal for nuclear weapons usage.
