An easy access to nanocrystalline alkaline earth metal fluorides – just by shaking

High energy ball milling as fast, direct and solvent free method allows an easy access to nanocrystalline alkaline earth metal fluorides MF2 (M: Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba). Comparable metal sources (acetates, carbonates, hydroxides, alkoxides) were used for the reaction with NH4F as fluorinating agent. Even very simple manual shaking experiments between NH4F and the corresponding hydroxides in the stoichiometric ratio (M:F = 1:2, M: Ca, Sr, Ba) give phase pure fluorides. Moreover, comparable classical thermal reactions in closed crucibles at higher temperatures provide phase pure crystalline fluorides in nearly all cases as well.

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► Easy access to nanocrystalline alkaline earth metal fluorides MF2 (M: Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba).
► High energy ball milling of different metal sources with ammonium fluoride.
► Phase pure fluorides by simply shaking hydroxides with NH4F.