Chemical and nuclear properties of lawrencium (element 103) and hahnium (element 105)

Abstract

The chemical and nuclear properties of Lr and Ha have been studied, using 3-minute {sup 260}Lr and 35-second {sup 262}Ha. The crystal ionic radius of Lr{sup 3+} was determined by comparing its elution position from a cation-exchange resin column with those of lanthanide elements having known ionic radii. Comparisons are made to the ionic radii of the heavy actinides, Am{sup 3+} through Es{sup 3+}, obtained by x-ray diffraction methods, and to Md{sup 3+} and Fm{sup 3+} which were determined in the same manner as Lr{sup 3+}. The hydration enthalpy of {minus}3622 kJ/mol was calculated from the crystal ionic radius using an empirical form of the Born equation. Comparisons to the spacings between the ionic radii of the heaviest members of the lanthanide series show that the 2Z spacing between Lr{sup 3+} and Md{sup 3+} is anomalously small, as the ionic radius of Lr{sup 3+} of 0.0886 nm is significantly smaller than had been expected. The chemical properties of Ha were determined relative to the lighter homologs in group 5, Nb and Ta. Group 4 and group 5 tracer activities, as well as Ha, were absorbed onto glass surfaces as a first step toward the determination of the chemical properties of Ha. Ha was found to adsorb on surfaces, a chemical property unique to the group 5 elements, and as such demonstrates that Ha has the chemical properties of a group 5 element. A solvent extraction procedure was adapted for use as a micro-scale chemical procedure to examine whether or not Ha displays eka-Ta-like chemical under conditions where Ta will be extracted into the organic phase and Nb will not. Under the conditions of this experiment Ha did not extract, and does not show eka-Ta-like chemical properties.