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Laboratory of Radiochemistry

  • Research Groups Expanded submenu item
    • Heavy Elements
    • Isotope and Target Chemistry
      • Isotope production and separation
      • Target Manufacturing
      • Nuclear Data
      • Waste treatment
      • MeaNCoRN
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        • Molecular Plating
        • Vapour Deposition
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  • Neutron Irradiation Service (NIS)

The chemistry of transactinide elements

Scope

The newest elements in the periodic table are the so-called the transactinides (also referred to as superheavy elements) with atomic numbers starting from Z = 104, rutherfordium. Their chemical properties are assumed to be largely influenced by relativistic effects in their electron structure induced by the high nuclear charge Z. These elements are produced artificially in heavy-ion-induced nuclear fusion evaporation reactions using large particle accelerators. The low production rates down to single atoms per week or even month as well as their short half-lives challenge their chemical investigation on a one-atom-at-a-time level. For these investigations, we develop complete efficient and fast gas phase chemical methods.

We employ empirical thermochemical methods to predict properties of transactinides. Based on these predictions we design suitable gas chromatography setups using Monte-Carlo-based gas phase simulation tools. We work in large international collaborations with research institutions from Russia (FLNR) , Germany (GSI) , USA (LBNL, LLNL), China (IMP), Poland (ITE), Norway (OCL), and Japan (RIKEN, JAEA) to determine gas phase chemical properties of transactinide elements. Our results are used for a more comprehensive understanding of how the periodic table extends beyond known elements as well as for predicting properties of elements so far not in reach with currently available experimental techniques. The Heavy Elements group develops and employs an instrumentation pool applied for the most sensitive radioanalytical tasks, including dedicated sensor developments. We use PSI's large research facilities for the production of radioactive tracer isotopes (IP2 beamline at Injector-2 as well as the SINQ irradiation facilities). In the framework of our research, we are strongly involved in the Swiss radiochemical education, e.g., at the University of Bern.

Current Research Projects

  • Chemical investigation of the elements Cn (Z = 112), Nh (Z = 113) and Fl (Z = 114).
  • PureCOLD - the new PSI pile-up rejection α- and SF- spectroscopy electronics.
  • Development of a vacuum chromatography system for transactinides with half-lives below one second: Hot catcher and thermal release experiments and dedicated semiconductor solid state detectors using electronic grade CVD diamond or 4H-SiC.
  • Development of stable intermetallic actinide targets for high-intensity heavy-ion irradiations (synthesis of transactinides).
  • Investigation of the stability of transition metal carbonyl compounds for the investigation of light transactinides at low oxidation states.
  • SEARCH - Release of radionuclei from liquid and solid lead bismuth eutectica.
  • MeanCorN Measurement of neutron capture cross sections and determination of half-lives of short-lived cosmogenic radio-nuclides.

Research Highlights

Vacuum Chromatography of Tl on SiO2 at the Single-Atom Level
P. Steinegger et al.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 120(13), 2016, pp. 7122 - 7132
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b12033

Synthesis and detection of a seaborgium carbonyl complex
J. Even et al.
Science 345(6203), 2014, pp. 1491-1493
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1255720

Indication for a volatile element 114
R. Eichler et al.
Radiochimica Acta 98(3), 2010, pp. 133 - 139
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1524/ract.2010.1705

Thermochemical and physical properties of element 112
R. Eichler et al.
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 47(17), 2008, pp. 3262 - 3266
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200705019

Chemical characterization of element 112
R. Eichler et al.
Nature 447(7140), 2007, pp. 72 - 75
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05761

Chemical investigation of hassium (element 108)
Ch. E. Düllmann et al.
Nature 418(6900), 2002, pp. 859 - 862
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature00980

Chemical characterization of bohrium (element 107)
R. Eichler et al.
Nature 407, 2000, pp. 63-65
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35024044

First Measurement of a Thermochemical Property of a Seaborgium Compound
A. Türler et al.
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 38(15), 1999, pp. 2212 - 2213
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19990802)38:15<2212::AID-ANIE2212>3.0.CO;2-6

Chemical properties of element 106 (seaborgium)
M. Schädel et al.
Nature 388, 1997, pp. 55-57
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/40375

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Further Information

  • Head: Patrick Steinegger

SINQ Services

  • Neutron irradiation service

Contact

Paul Scherrer Institut
Laboratory of Radiochemistry
Secretariate
OFLB/108

Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Mrs. A. Blattmann
+41 56 310 2401
angela.blattmann@psi.ch

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LRC Annual Reports

The Annual Reports of the LRC contain accounts of ongoing scientific research and provide an overview of the variety of topics investigated in our laboratory. Until 2015, they comprise results achieved within the former Laboratory for Radio- and Environmental Chemistry (LCH).

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