Nobelium, the heaviest known element, now confirmed to form stable compounds
Breakthrough in Understanding Nobelium's Chemistry
Nobelium, a synthetic and radioactive actinide element with atomic number 102, has taken a significant step towards being better understood, thanks to a groundbreaking experiment conducted by Thomas Albrecht and his team at the Colorado School of Mines, US. According to Albrecht, this work represents an "important milestone in expanding our understanding of how chemistry evolves in the outer reaches of the periodic table."
The breakthrough was reported in a story published on September 6, 2022, by Katrina Krämer. The experiment provided direct information about the electronic orbitals and the accessibility of electron configurations in these heavy elements, shedding light on nobelium's chemical behaviour.
For decades, nobelium has remained one of the most mysterious elements on the periodic table due to its limited production and few confirmed chemical properties. Its short half-life and production only in minute amounts have made it challenging to study its chemical properties. However, recent advances have allowed direct detection and measurement of molecules containing nobelium for the first time, using atom-at-a-time chemistry techniques.
These experiments have confirmed expected chemical trends in the actinide series by comparing early and late actinides under identical conditions, revealing how nobelium bonds with simple molecules such as water or nitrogen. This research marks a milestone in superheavy element chemistry and helps test the accuracy of periodic table placements for these elements.
Uses of nobelium are exclusively in fundamental scientific research and nuclear physics experiments. It is utilized to investigate the properties of heavy radioactive elements and refine theoretical atomic and chemical models of the actinide series. By studying nobelium's chemistry, researchers can improve theoretical models of f-block element behavior and electron correlation effects intrinsic to heavy elements.
The experiment's mass spectrometer measurements are expected to resolve some of the confounding data that exists for the chemistry of the heaviest elements. Nobelium is too unstable to exist naturally on Earth, making laboratory experiments the only means of studying this elusive element.
The team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, US, created nobelium by firing a calcium beam into a lead target using a cyclotron particle accelerator. The created nobelium ions reacted with trace contaminants of nitrogen and water in the gases, forming various nobelium complexes containing hydroxide, water, and dinitrogen ligands.
This research is part of a wider research programme by Jennifer Pore, aiming to investigate the placement of elements in group 3 of the lanthanide and actinide series. The experiment has confirmed that nobelium is the heaviest element with a definitively identified compound, providing critical experimental data on late actinide behaviour.
With this newfound knowledge, the research will now focus on investigating the next elements in sequence, including lawrencium (element 103), rutherfordium (element 104), and dubnium (element 105). The hope is that this research will continue to advance our understanding of the fundamental chemistry of superheavy elements and help verify the periodic table's predictions for these complex, radioactive metals.
References:
- Krämer, K. (2022, September 6). Technique can characterise actinides with just a microgram of a heavy element. Retrieved from https://physicsworld.com/a/technique-can-characterise-actinides-with-just-a-microgram-of-a-heavy-element/
- Albrecht, T. (2023, December 13). Superheavy elements forged in giant stellar collisions. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00822-4
The breakthrough in understanding Nobelium's chemistry, reported by Katrina Krämer on September 6, 2022, significantly contributes to the field of science by shedding light on the element's behavior, thereby helping to refine theoretical atomic and chemical models. Additionally, the research on Nobelium serves a crucial role in medical-conditions, as the understanding of its chemistry can lead to advancements in knowledge about other f-block elements, including technology applications such as nuclear physics experiments and the development of new materials.
