Uses of Argon Hydrofluoride

According to Universal Industrial Gases, argon (Ar) is part of the group called rare or noble gases, being found in the atmosphere at a concentration below 1 percent by volume. It is a colorless, tasteless, odorless and nontoxic gas. As are the other noble gases, argon is stable and resistant to bonding with other elements, according to the website Science Castle.

However, the synthesis of its only compound, argon hydrofluoride (HArF), was successfully performed by researchers at the University of Helsinki in 2000. Despite that discovery, its industrial uses are still to be found, according to BNET. According to the book "Chemical Nomenclature" edited by K. J.Thurlow, argon hydrofluoride can also be called argon fluorohydride.

Uses in Scientific Research

• Argon fluorohydride is stable only at very low temperatures, such as -246 degrees Celsius (-411 degrees Fahrenheit). If not kept at that range, the chemical compound starts to decompose, according to the website Jefferson Lab. This limits the uses of argon fluorohydride to basic scientific research.

Industrial Uses

• Although argon has many industrial uses--including UV lamps, fire extinguishers, cancer treatment and wine making--the compound argon fluorohydride has no industrial uses as of yet. According to Jefferson Lab, this is due to its fragile chemical bounds and extreme dependence on very low temperatures, which are only found in laboratory environments.

Uses in the Future

• Gernot Frenking, a chemist at Philipps-Universitat Marburg in Germany, has declared the finding of argon fluorohydride "is only a half step toward truly synthesizing an argon compound." He believes the synthesis of argon fluorohydride capable of surviving at room temperature is theoretically possible, but extremely difficult. According to BNET, the use of argon fluorohydride in the future is dependent on this.