Wiktionary
n. (context chemistry English) a binary compound of uranium and fluorine, UF6; it is a grey solid, or heavy gas, and is used in the uranium enrichment process to produce fuel for nuclear reactors or nuclear weapons
Wikipedia
Uranium hexafluoride (), referred to as "hex" in the nuclear industry, is a compound used in the uranium enrichment process that produces fuel for nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It forms solid grey crystals at standard temperature and pressure, is highly toxic, reacts violently with water and is corrosive to most metals. It reacts mildly with aluminium, forming a thin surface layer of AlF that resists further reaction.
Usage examples of "uranium hexafluoride".
The best chemical for this is uranium hexafluoride, which is as poisonous as mustard gas and hideously corrosive to boot.
It did not see the vats of poison gas in preparation, nor the uranium hexafluoride destined for the gas-diffusion centrifuges of the isotope separation plant.
We even got snotty about giving him a supply of uranium hexafluoride, when it was Abelson, for Christ's sake, who first produced the stuff for us.
The Monte Carlo method was first devised as a means of predicting the rate of diffusion of uranium hexafluoride through a porous barrier -- it's been put to other uses since.