Sulfur Hexafluoride Activation and Valorization

The goal of the research project is to explore new methods for the disposal and utilization of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). SF6 is a technically important industrial gas with extreme global warming potential. After its use, it must therefore be decomposed to prevent it from entering the atmosphere, which is a major challenge due to its extreme chemical inertness. Current processes for decomposing SF6 consume a lot of energy and are technically complicated. The research project is therefore concerned with the development of environmentally friendly and easy-to-use methods for the decomposition of SF 6. The project focuses on innovative approaches to activate SF6 under mild conditions, which is also relevant to the second focus of the project, aimed at using SF6 as a reagent in fluorination reactions. The proposed new methods for SF 6 decomposition could have both economic and environmental implications, as they consume less energy than previous methods and could even be used directly on-site in SF6 applications. In addition, the proposed methods for SF 6 valorization could open new avenues for the synthesis of fluorinated building blocks relevant to the fields of medicine, agriculture, and materials science.