The fluorinated chemical compounds produced by ECF are useful because of their distinctive solvation properties and the relative inertness of carbon–fluorine bonds.
[citation needed] The results were not published until after World War II because the work was classified due to its relevance to the manufacture of uranium hexafluoride.
Two noteworthy considerations are (i) the hazards associated with hydrogen fluoride (the solvent and fluorine source) and (ii) the requirement for anhydrous conditions.
The technology is sometimes called “CAVE” for Carbon Anode Vapor Phase Electrochemical Fluorination and was widely used at manufacturing sites of the 3M Corporation.
The organic compound is fed through a porous anode leading to exchange of fluorine for hydrogen but not chlorine.