Berkelium tetrafluoride may be formed by the fluorination of berkelium trioxide, dioxide, or trifluoride with elemental fluorine at elevated temperatures:
2Bk2O3 + 8F2 → 4BkF4 + 3O2
2BkF3 + F2 → 2BkF4
Physical properties
Berkelium(IV) fluoride forms light brown crystals of monoclinic crystal structure of uranium tetrafluoride type. Cell parameters: a = 1.2396 nm, b = 1.0466 nm, c = 0.8118 nm, angle β = 126.33°.[2][3]
Chemical properties
Berkelium tetrafluoride is reduced by lithium at elevated temperatures to metallic berkelium:[4]