Other uses
Sulfur hexafluoride is also used as a reagent for creating thrust in a closed Rankine-cycle propulsion system, reacting with solid lithium as used in the United States Navy's Mark 50 torpedo.SF6 plasma is also used in the semiconductor industry as an etchant. SF6 breaks down in the plasma into sulfur and fluorine, the fluorine plasma performing the etching.
The magnesium industry uses large amounts of SF6 as inert gas to fill casting forms.
Sulfur hexafluoride is also used to pressurize waveguides in high power microwave systems. The gas insulates the waveguide preventing internal arcing.
Sulfur hexafluoride has been used in electrostatic loudspeakers because of its high dielectric strength and high molecular weight.
Sulfur hexafluoride was used to fill Nike Air bags in all of their shoes from 1990-1996.