It is used as a steel degreasing agent and in tin electroplating, flux, heat treating salt compositions, fluoridation of drinking water, removing HF from exhaust systems to reduce air pollution, and frosting glasses. It serves as a source of fluoride ion in several applications including it use in synthetic chemistry, for example in Finkelstein reaction for preparating fluoro compounds, desilylation in sensitive organic compounds, metallurgy, and reaction with electrophilic chlorides. It has medical and other applications including complexing of magnesium ions.

This Thermo Scientific Chemicals brand product was originally part of the Alfa Aesar product portfolio. Some documentation and label information may refer to the legacy brand. The original Alfa Aesar product / item code or SKU reference has not changed as a part of the brand transition to Thermo Scientific Chemicals.