FluoRork manufactures fluorochemicals in a hydrofluoric (HF) free way. Fluorochemicals are used in every day products like lithium-ion battery electrolytes, agrochemicals, and drugs. All fluorine atoms in fluorochemicals are derived from fluorspar. Traditionally, fluorspar is treated with sulfuric acid in an energy-intensive process to produce hydrofluoric acid (HF), the key precursor in traditional fluorochemical manufacturing. FluoRok aims to revolutionize conventional fluorochemical production with an HF-free fluorination process. This novel method bypasses HF production and decreases energy requirements, making manufacturing safe and environmentally friendly. This technology directly transforms naturally occurring minerals or fluorinated waste streams into fluorochemicals via a phosphate-enabled mechanochemical process. The end product is a powder called Fluoromix, which can be used to create 50 different fluorochemicals with up to 98% yield.
University of Oxford, Oxford Science Enterprises
