A 212Pb generator for model experiments on aqueous chemistry of element 114

Abstract

The chemical identification of newly discovered nuclides of super-heavy element is essential part of their investigation. Discovery of long-lived isotopes of element 114 (T1/2~30 s) provides a possibility of studying its chemistry in solution.1 The procedure for continuous isolation of short-lived transactinides synthesized in nuclear reactions occurring during bombardment a proper target with multicharged ions accelerated in cyclotron was developed and described. This procedure enabled isolating element 104 and studying its behavior in dilute solutions. We believe that investigating solution chemistry of an isotope may be performed if its life time is longer than 3 seconds. The seconds-living mercury isotopes, which were isolated in JINR, Dubna, are one of such examples.3 Nevertheless, when studying the chemical properties of transactinides, some difficulties, which may be attributed to their short life and low yield, are encountered. Therefore, model experiments with trace amounts of their homologues were developed.4 Element 114 occupies the place immediately below lead in group IV A of the Periodic Table, and it is expected to be a homologue of lead. The nuclear physical properties of 212Pb are convenient for its monitoring in both solution and chromatographic column. Availability of simple and low-cost method of 212Pb preparation would furnish an opportunity to study chemistry of its tracers in solution, and thereby, to simulate the behavior of element 114 under studied conditions. Besides, since 212Pb isotope is also used in nuclear medicine as an alpha-emitter the simple and cheep method for its obtaining is still demanded. In this paper we present a device developed in our Laboratory in collaboration with Flerov’s Laboratory of Nuclear Reaction. This device is intended for obtaining the isotope 212Pb and its descendants 212Bi and 208Tl in online mode.