Fluorine plays a more prominent role than any other element in many areas of chemistry, life sciences, technology, industry and modern life. Fluorine reacts with almost every element and, in principle, fluorine atoms can be incorporated into any organic molecule, meaning that fluorine can form the most compounds of all the elements. When H or OH is replaced by F in organic molecules, the bond energies and bond polarisations change considerably, and so do the properties. Synthetic fluoroorganics are therefore of increasing importance in active pharmaceutical ingredients, crop protection agents, lubricants and anti-corrosion agents, dyes, liquid crystals, surfactants, ionic liquids, blood substitutes, etc. The most thermally and chemically resistant polymers are fluoropolymers and their derivatives. Ionomers such as Nafion are of great importance in fuel cells and electrolytes. Low-molecular CHF compounds are also produced on a million tonne scale as substitutes for CFRPs and are used as refrigerants, propellants, fire retardants and solvents. Without SF₆ as an insulating gas, modern high-voltage and energy technology would be inconceivable; the production of semiconductor chips would also not be possible without high-purity hydrofluoric acid and fluorine-containing plasma etching gases. Graphite fluoride and electrolytes with fluorinated anions are important components in electrochemical energy storage systems.

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