uranium hexafluoride

noun

uranium hexa·​flu·​o·​ride -ˌhek-sə-ˈflȯr-ˌīd How to pronounce uranium hexafluoride (audio)
-ˈflu̇r-
: a volatile compound UF6 of uranium and fluorine that is used in one major process of enriching uranium in uranium 235

Examples of uranium hexafluoride in a Sentence

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Through its Metropolis Works Facility, the company has the only uranium hexafluoride conversion plant in the U.S. Alternative energy services represent less than 15% of the company’s total sales currently but could be a big growth engine in the future due to expansions in nuclear power generation. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026 Long story short, the scientists at Oak Ridge tasked with refining the uranium needed for the bomb were having problems with the highly corrosive uranium hexafluoride used to separate the uranium isotopes. David Szondy august 02, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025 The first step is to convert the uranium into a gas, called uranium hexafluoride. André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 26 June 2025 This is done by first converting uranium into a gas (uranium hexafluoride, UF6), then feeding it into rapidly spinning centrifuges that force the heavier U-238 toward the outside, leaving U-235 nearer the center. Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 The facility likely contained canisters of uranium hexafluoride gas that was released into the environment as a large gas cloud once it was hit, Caffrey said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 June 2025 Fluorine is mixed with a concentrated form of uranium to create uranium hexafluoride, which is then fed into centrifuges. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025 An analysis from the independent Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists based on the IAEA report concluded that Iran has enough centrifuges and uranium hexafluoride gas at the site to produce several nuclear weapons. Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 19 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of uranium hexafluoride was in 1899

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Cite this Entry

“Uranium hexafluoride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uranium%20hexafluoride. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

uranium hexafluoride

noun
uranium hexa·​flu·​o·​ride -ˌhek-sə-ˈflu̇(-ə)r-ˌīd How to pronounce uranium hexafluoride (audio)
: a compound of uranium and fluorine that is used in one major process for the separation of uranium 235 from ordinary uranium

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