sodium fluoroaluminate

chemical compound

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Sodium fluoaluminate, also known as sodium aluminum fluoride, is a crystalline complex salt with the chemical formula Na₃AlF₆. It occurs naturally as cryolite and can also be synthesized.12

This compound has several industrial applications:
* Ceramics: Used in the production of ceramic materials.1
* Metallurgy: Serves as an electrolyte in the process of producing aluminum from alumina.1
* Insecticide: Employed as an insecticide.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

chemical industry
Aluminum refining
…with a flux consisting of sodium fluoroaluminate (Na₃AlF₆), usually called cryolite. After starting the process, the cryolite is not used up in massive quantities, but a small supply is needed to make up for inevitable losses. Cryolite is a rare mineral, however, found in commercial quantities only in Greenland. The…
Read More
…with a flux consisting of sodium fluoroaluminate (Na₃AlF₆), usually called cryolite. After starting the process, the cryolite is not used up in massive quantities, but a small supply is needed to make up for inevitable losses. Cryolite is a rare mineral, however, found in commercial quantities only in Greenland. The…
Read More