Abstract: A method is described for treating a gas stream comprising fluorine (F2) gas. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of conveying the gas stream to a reaction chamber containing a heated bed of material to react with F2 to form an inorganic fluoride, and at least partially evacuating the reaction chamber so that the gas stream is conveyed to and from the reaction chamber at a sub-atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A method for treating a gas stream containing one or more perfluoro-organic compounds to remove the perfluoro-organic compound(s) therefrom, which comprises bringing the gas stream in to contact with an alkali metal fluoride in the presence of carbon and water vapor at a temperature of 350° C. to 1000°C.

Abstract: A liquid short-chain polymer of the general formula RaSi(OH)b or (R)aSiHb(OH)c is deposited on a substrate, where a+b=4 or a+b+c=4, respectively, a, b and c are integers, R is a carbon-containing group and a silicon to carbon bond is indicated by Fourier Transfer Infrared analysis. The short-chain polymer is then subjected to further polymerization to form an amorphous structure of the general formula (RxSiOy)n, where x and y are integers, x+y=4, x≠0, n equals 1 to ∞, R is a carbon-containing group and a silicon to carbon bond is indicated by Fourier Transfer Infrared analysis.

Abstract: A process for the scrubbing of species of an element of Group 3, 4 and 5(b) of the Periodic Table from a gas stream. The process comprises contacting the gas stream with an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid (HF) or a solution containing the hydrogen fluoride ion HF.sub.2.sup.- and an oxidizing agent.