Rupture-Disk Ampoule for Anhydrous Addition of Hydrogen Fluoride

The rapid increase in vapor pressure of liquid HF with temperature has been used in a rupture-disk-ampoule technique for mixing HF with materials under anhydrous conditions. At room temperature where HF has a vp near 1.4 atm, the disk with a rupture limit near 10 atm confines the acid. At higher temperatures, 100 and 150 °C, where the internal pressure of HF in the ampoule is 10 and 30 atm, respectively, the disk is ruptured and the acid is released. The construction of the ampoule from platinum and reuseable platinum-iridium parts; the details of the filling, sealing and weighing; and its use for anhydrous addition of HF to other materials in a closed vessel are described.