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Sample records for dubnium

  1. Extraction systems for the study of dubnium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gates, J.M.; Sudowe, R.; Ali, M.N.; Calvert, M.G.; Dragojevic, I.; Ellison, P.A.; Garcia, M.A.; Gharibyan, N.; Gregorich, K.E.; Nelson, S.L.; Neumann, S.H.; Parsons-Moss, T.; Stavsetra, L.; Nitsche, H.

    2007-01-01

    The chemistry of transactinide elements (Z (ge) 104) is a topic of great interest in current nuclear chemistry research. The chemical systems that can be used in these studies are limited by the short half-lives of the isotopes and the small production rates of atoms per minute or even atoms per week. In the initial investigations, the chemistry used had to be very selective to the periodic group of interest to separate the transactinide atom from all the other unwanted nuclear reaction products, e.g., transfer products. By using the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator (BGS) as a physical pre-separator, we are able concentrate on systems that are selective between the members of the group of interest, because all other interfering products and the beam are being suppressed by the BGS [1]. We are developing suitable extraction systems for the study of element 105, dubnium. For this purpose we have studied the extraction of niobium and tantalum, the lighter homologs of dubnium, from mineral acids with different organophosphorus compounds. All studies were performed online, using short-lived niobium and tantalum produced in the 124 Sn( 51 V,5n) 170 Ta and 74 Se( 18 O,p3n) 88 Nb reactions. This allowed for the study of the lighter homologues at metal concentrations of 10 -16 M. At these low metal concentrations, the formation of polymeric species is largely prohibited. As seen in Fig. 1, by varying the extractant and the hydrochloric acid concentration from 1 to 11 M, we are able to see a difference in extraction behavior between niobium and tantalum. While the system is suitable for determining chemical differences between the lighter homologues, the extraction of tantalum from hydrochloric acid shows slow kinetics. Figure 2 shows that after 90 seconds of mixing, the system is not in equilibrium. However, experiments indicate that equilibrium is reached faster at higher acid concentrations. We have studied the influence of hydrogen ion concentration on the extraction

  2. Cold Fusion Production and Decay of Neutron-Deficient Isotopes of Dubnium and Development of Extraction Systems for Group V Elements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gates, Jacklyn M. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2008-07-31

    Excitation functions for the 1n and 2n exit channels of the 208Pb(51V,xn)259-xDb reaction were measured. A maximum cross section of the 1n exit channel of 2070$+1100\\atop{-760}$ pb was measured at an excitation energy of 16.0 ± 1.8 MeV. For the 2n exit channel, a maximum cross section of 1660$+450\\atop{-370}$ pb was measured at 22.0 ± 1.8 MeV excitation energy. The 1n excitation function for the 209Bi(50Ti,n)258Db reaction was remeasured, resulting in a cross section of 5480$+1730\\atop{-1370}$ pb at an excitation energy of 16.0 ± 1.6 MeV. Differences in cross section maxima are discussed in terms of the fusion probability below the barrier. The extraction of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) from hydrochloric acid and mixed hydrochloric acid/lithium chloride media by bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate (HDEHP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphite (BEHP) was studied. The goal of the experiments was to find a system that demonstrates selectivity among the members of group five of the Periodic Table and is also suitable for the study of dubnium (Db, Z = 105). Experiments with niobium and tantalum were performed with carrier (10-6 M), carrier free (10-10 M) and trace (10-16 M) concentrations of metal using hydrochloric acid solution with concentrations ranging from 1 - 11 M. The extraction of niobium and tantalum from mixed hydrochloric acid/lithium chloride media by HDEHP and BEHP as a function of hydrogen ion (H+) concentration was also investigated. The data obtained are used as the basis to discuss the speciation of niobium and tantalum under the conditions studied and to evaluate possible extraction mechanisms. The 74Se(18O,p3n)88gNb excitation function was measured to determine the best energy for producing the 88Nb used in chemistry experiments. A maximum cross section of 495 +- 5 mb was observed at an 18O energy of 74.0 Me

  3. Characterization of Group V Dubnium Homologs on DGA Extraction Chromatography Resin from Nitric and Hydrofluoric Acid Matrices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Despotopulos, J D; Sudowe, R

    2012-02-21

    Studies of the chemical properties of superheavy elements (SHE) pose interesting challenges due to their short half-lives and low production rates. Chemical systems must have extremely fast kinetics, fast enough kinetics to be able to examine the chemical properties of interest before the SHE decays to another nuclide. To achieve chemistry on such time scales, the chemical system must also be easily automated. Most importantly however, a chemical system must be developed which provides suitable separation and kinetics before an on-line study of a SHE can be performed. Relativistic effects make studying the chemical properties of SHEs interesting due to the impact these effects could have on the SHEs chemical properties. Relativistic effects arise when the velocity of the s orbital electrons approach the speed of light. As this velocity increases, the Bohr radius of the inner electron orbitals decreases and there is an increase in the particles mass. This contraction results in a destabilization of the energy of the outer d and f electron orbitals (5f and 6d in the case of SHE), which can cause these to expand due to their increased shielding from the nuclear charge. Another relativistic effect is the spin-orbit splitting for p, d, and f orbitals into j = 1 {+-} 1/2 states. This can lead most interestingly to a possible increased stability of element 114, which due to large spin-orbit splitting of the 7p orbital and the relativistically stabilized 7p{sub 1/2} and 7s orbital gives rise to a closed shell ground state of 7s{sup 2}7p{sub 1/2}{sup 2}. The homologs of element 105, dubnium (Db), Ta and Nb and the pseudo-homolog Pa, are well known to hydrolyze and form both neutral and non-neutral monoatomic and polyatomic species that may cause issues with extraction from a given chemical system. Early ion-exchange and solvent-extraction studies show mixed results for the behavior of Db. Some studies show Db behaving most similar to Ta, while others show it behaving

  4. Extraction of niobium and tantalum isotopes using organophosphorus compounds. Pt. 1. Extraction of 'carrier-free' metal concentrations from HCl solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gates, J.M.; California Univ., Berkeley, CA; Sudowe, R.; Stavsetra, L.

    2009-01-01

    The extraction of niobium (Nb) and tantalum (Ta) from hydrochloric acid media by bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate (HDEHP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphite (BEHP) was studied. The goal of the experiments is to find a system that demonstrates selectivity between the members of group five of the Periodic Table and is also suitable for the study of dubnium (Db, Z=105). Experiments were performed at the trace level (10 -16 M Nb or Ta) using hydrochloric acid with concentrations ranging from 1-11 M and short-lived isotopes of Nb and Ta produced in nuclear reactions. When HDEHP was used as the extractant, the Nb extraction yield decreased with increasing acid concentrations above 6 M, while the amount of Ta extracted remained over 75% for all acid concentrations studied. Tantalum was found to be extracted by BEHP at acid concentrations above 6 M, while niobium was not significantly extracted. The data obtained are used as the basis to discuss the speciation of Nb and Ta under the conditions studied and to evaluate possible extraction mechanisms. (orig.)

  5. Chemistry of superheavy elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaedel, M.

    2012-01-01

    The chemistry of superheavy elements - or transactinides from their position in the Periodic Table - is summarized. After giving an overview over historical developments, nuclear aspects about synthesis of neutron-rich isotopes of these elements, produced in hot-fusion reactions, and their nuclear decay properties are briefly mentioned. Specific requirements to cope with the one-atom-at-a-time situation in automated chemical separations and recent developments in aqueous-phase and gas-phase chemistry are presented. Exciting, current developments, first applications, and future prospects of chemical separations behind physical recoil separators ('pre-separator') are discussed in detail. The status of our current knowledge about the chemistry of rutherfordium (Rf, element 104), dubnium (Db, element 105), seaborgium (Sg, element 106), bohrium (Bh, element 107), hassium (Hs, element 108), copernicium (Cn, element 112), and element 114 is discussed from an experimental point of view. Recent results are emphasized and compared with empirical extrapolations and with fully-relativistic theoretical calculations, especially also under the aspect of the architecture of the Periodic Table. (orig.)

  6. Aqueous chemistry of transactinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaedel, M.

    2001-01-01

    The aqueous chemistry of the first three transactinide elements is briefly reviewed with special emphasis given to recent experimental results. Short introductory remarks are discussing the atom-at-a-time situation of transactinide chemistry as a result of low production cross-sections and short half-lives. In general, on-line experimental techniques and, more specifically, the automated rapid chemistry apparatus, ARCA, are presented. Present and future developments of experimental techniques and resulting perspectives are outlined at the end. The central part is mainly focussing on hydrolysis and complex formation aspects of the superheavy group 4, 5, and 6 transition metals with F - and Cl - anions. Experimental results are compared with the behaviour of lighter homologous elements and with relativistic calculations. It will be shown that the chemical behaviour of the first superheavy elements is already strongly influenced by relativistic effects. While it is justified to place rutherfordium, dubnium and seaborgium in the Periodic Table of the Elements into group 4, 5 and 6, respectively, it is no more possible to deduce from this position in detail the chemical properties of these transactinide or superheavy elements. (orig.)

  7. Influence of relativistic effects on hydration and hydrolysis of rutherfordium, dubnium and some 6-th row element cations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bilewicz, A.; Siekierski, S.

    1999-01-01

    New evidence for the influence of relativistic effect on coordination number, (CN), and hydrolysis of Rf 4+ and Db 5+ aqua ions has been presented. It has been argued that very strong hydrolysis of the heaviest members of Groups 12, 13 is caused by the low CN of Hg 2+ and Tl 3+ in their aqua ions. Low CN is the result of relativistic effects which stabilize the 6s orbital, increasing thereby the respective promotion energy. That supports our previous view that strong hydrolysis of Rf aq 4+ much greater than that of Hf aq 4+ and Zr aq 4+ , is also a result of lower CN. Since the promotion energy for sp 3 d 4 hybridization (CN 8) seems to be close to that od sp 3 d 2 hybridization (CN 6), and since hybridization energies of Zr 4+ , Hf 4+ and Rf 4+ do not differ very much for hexa- and octahydrates the two aqua ions i.e., M(H 2 O) 6 4+ and M(H 2 O) 8 4+ may coexist in aqueous acid solutions. However, due to relativistic stabilization of 7s and destabilization of 6s orbitals, which increases promotion energy, the Rf 4+ aqua cation should show coordination number 6 rather than 8. A shift of equilibrium toward a lower hydrate increases the tendency to hydrolyse. (author)

  8. Chemistry of the superheavy elements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schädel, Matthias

    2015-03-13

    The quest for superheavy elements (SHEs) is driven by the desire to find and explore one of the extreme limits of existence of matter. These elements exist solely due to their nuclear shell stabilization. All 15 presently 'known' SHEs (11 are officially 'discovered' and named) up to element 118 are short-lived and are man-made atom-at-a-time in heavy ion induced nuclear reactions. They are identical to the transactinide elements located in the seventh period of the periodic table beginning with rutherfordium (element 104), dubnium (element 105) and seaborgium (element 106) in groups 4, 5 and 6, respectively. Their chemical properties are often surprising and unexpected from simple extrapolations. After hassium (element 108), chemistry has now reached copernicium (element 112) and flerovium (element 114). For the later ones, the focus is on questions of their metallic or possibly noble gas-like character originating from interplay of most pronounced relativistic effects and electron-shell effects. SHEs provide unique opportunities to get insights into the influence of strong relativistic effects on the atomic electrons and to probe 'relativistically' influenced chemical properties and the architecture of the periodic table at its farthest reach. In addition, they establish a test bench to challenge the validity and predictive power of modern fully relativistic quantum chemical models. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  9. Chemical behaviour of a few atoms of rutherfordium (Rf, Z= 104) and of dubnium (Db, Z= 105) produced at Orsay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trubert, D.; Hussonnois, M.; Le Naour, C.; Brillard, L.; Monroy Guzman, F.; Le Du, J.F.; Servajean, V.

    1998-01-01

    The isotopes 261 Rf and 262 Db were produced by irradiation of a 248 Cm target with respectively 18 O and 19 F ions, at the MP Tandem accelerator of Orsay (France). These isotopes were isolated in HF medium, using he RACHEL setup. Moreover, the radioisotope 262 DB was produced by a nuclear reaction. (authors)

  10. Chemical Identification of Dubnium as a Decay Product of Element 115 Produced in the Reaction $\\rm {^{48}Ca}+{^{243}Am}$

    CERN Document Server

    Dmitriev, S N; Utyonkov, V K; Shishkin, S V; Eremin, A V; Lobanov, Yu V; Chepigin, V I; Sokol, E A; Tsyganov, Yu S; Vostokin, G K; Aksenov, N V; Hussonnois, M; Itkis, M G; Aggeler, H W; Schumann, D; Bruchertseifer, H; Eichler, R; Shaughnessy, D A; Wilk, P A; Kenneally, J M; Stoyer, M A; Wild, J F

    2004-01-01

    The results of an experiment designed to identify $^{268}$Db as the terminal isotope in the $\\alpha $-decay chain of element 115 produced via the ${\\rm {^{243}Am}}({\\rm {^{48}Ca}},3n){\\rm {^{288}115}}$ reaction are presented. The $^{243}$Am target was bombarded with a beam dose of $3.4\\cdot 10^{18}$ $^{48}$Ca projectiles at an energy of 247 MeV at the center of the target. The reaction products were collected in the surface layer of a copper catcher block, which was removed with a lathe and then dissolved in concentrated HNO$_{3}$. The group-5 elements were separated by sorption onto Dowex $50{\\times} 8$ cation-exchange resin with subsequent desorption using 1 M HF, which forms anionic fluoride complexes of group-5 elements. The eluent was evaporated onto a 0.4 $\\mu$m thick polyethylene foil that was placed between a pair of semiconductor detectors surrounded by $^{3}$He neutron counters for measurement of $\\alpha$ particles, fission fragments, and neutrons. In the course of the experiment, we observed 15 spo...

  11. Developments for transactinide chemistry experiments behind the gas-filled separator TASCA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Even, Julia

    2011-12-13

    synthesised carbonyl complexes were identified by nuclear decay spectroscopy. Some complexes were studied with isothermal chromatography or thermochromatography methods. The chromatograms were compared with Monte Carlo Simulations to determine the adsorption enthalpyrnon silicon dioxide and on gold. These simulations based on existing codes, that were modified for the different geometries of the chromatography channels. All observed adsorption enthalpies (on silcon oxide as well as on gold) are typical for physisorption. Additionally, the thermalstability of some of the carbonyl complexes was studied. This showed that at temperatures above 200 C therncomplexes start to decompose. It was demonstrated that carbonyl-complex chemistry is a suitable method to study rutherfordium, dubnium, seaborgium, bohrium, hassium, and meitnerium. Until now, only very simple, thermally stable compounds have been synthesized in the gas-phase chemistry of the transactindes. With the synthesis of transactinide-carbonyl complexes a new compound class would be discovered. Transactinide chemistry would reach the border between inorganic and metallorganic chemistry. Furthermore, the in-situ synthesised carbonyl complexes would allow nuclear spectroscopy studies under low background conditions making use of chemically prepared samples. [German] Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Entwicklung von Experimenten hinter dem gasgefuellten Separator TASCA (TransActinide Separator and Chemistry Apparatus) zur Studie des chemischen Verhaltens der Transactinide. Zum einen wurde die Moeglichkeit der elektrochemischen Abscheidung kurzlebiger Isotope der Elemente Ruthenium und Osmium auf Goldelektroden im Hinblick auf ein Experiment mit Hassium untersucht. Aus der Literatur ist bekannt, dass bei der elektrochemischen Abscheidung einzelner Atome das Abscheidepotential signifikant vom Nernst-Potential abweicht. Die Verschiebung des Potentials haengt von der Adsorptionsenthalpie des abzuscheidenden Elements

  12. Developments for transactinide chemistry experiments behind the gas-filled separator TASCA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Even, Julia

    2011-01-01

    synthesised carbonyl complexes were identified by nuclear decay spectroscopy. Some complexes were studied with isothermal chromatography or thermochromatography methods. The chromatograms were compared with Monte Carlo Simulations to determine the adsorption enthalpyrnon silicon dioxide and on gold. These simulations based on existing codes, that were modified for the different geometries of the chromatography channels. All observed adsorption enthalpies (on silcon oxide as well as on gold) are typical for physisorption. Additionally, the thermalstability of some of the carbonyl complexes was studied. This showed that at temperatures above 200 C therncomplexes start to decompose. It was demonstrated that carbonyl-complex chemistry is a suitable method to study rutherfordium, dubnium, seaborgium, bohrium, hassium, and meitnerium. Until now, only very simple, thermally stable compounds have been synthesized in the gas-phase chemistry of the transactindes. With the synthesis of transactinide-carbonyl complexes a new compound class would be discovered. Transactinide chemistry would reach the border between inorganic and metallorganic chemistry. Furthermore, the in-situ synthesised carbonyl complexes would allow nuclear spectroscopy studies under low background conditions making use of chemically prepared samples. [de