| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Seaborg Institutes: Emerging Topics in Actinide Materials and Science
|
| Presentation Title |
The Quest for Californium(II) and the Importance of Trail Markers from Other Transuranium Elements and Lanthanides |
| Author(s) |
Thomas Albrecht-Schoenzart |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Thomas Albrecht-Schoenzart |
| Abstract Scope |
The standard reduction potential of californium(III) to californium(II) has been measured to be anomalously low compared to both earlier actinides and to lanthanides with either similar ionic radii or the same number of f electrons. This potential is similar to that of Sm(III) to Sm(II) and thus samarium provides a potential electrochemical analog for fine-tuning the challenging reduction chemistry. However, Sm(II) should be considerably larger than Cf(II) and the coordination chemistry might be different enough that smaller Ln(II) cations are needed to guide ligand design. Moreover, directions provided by Ln(II) cations can still lead one down the wrong path because they do not account for radiolytic reactions or the contracted bond distances observed with actinides. By combining both Ln(II) and earlier actinide chemistry, we have finally isolated a Cf(II) molecule and now understand why it has been so elusive. This talk with detail that journey to discovery. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Characterization, Extraction and Processing |