Uranium hexafluoride (UF₆), commonly referred to as "hex" in the nuclear industry, is an inorganic compound consisting of one uranium atom bonded to six fluorine atoms.

UF₆ is produced by converting uranium dioxide (UO₂) with hydrofluoric acid to form uranium tetrafluoride (UF₄), which is then oxidized with elemental fluorine at elevated temperatures. Following enrichment to increase the ²³⁵U content from natural levels (0.7%) to reactor-grade levels (3.5-5%), the enriched UF₆ is converted to uranium dioxide powder for fabrication into nuclear fuel pellets.

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