Curium(IV) oxide is an inorganic chemical compound of curium and oxygen with the chemical formula CmO2. Since all isotopes of curium are man-made, the compound does not occur in nature.

Synthesis

  • Curium(IV) oxide can be prepared directly from the elements. Metallic curium is annealed in air or in an oxygen atmosphere:[1]
Cm + O2 → CmO2
Cm(OH)4 → CmO2 + 2H2O
Cm(C2O4)2 → CmO2 + 2CO2 + 2CO
2Cm2O3 + O2 → 4CmO2

Physical properties

Curium(IV) oxide forms black crystals.[3] Insoluble in water. The compound crystals are of the cubic crystal system, the fluorite structure in the space group Fm3m.

Chemical properties

The compound reacts with mineral acids to form solutions of curium(III) salts.[4]

Uses

The compound is used for the manufacturing of isotopic current sources, also as targets for the synthesis of transcurium elements.

References

  1. ^ Asprey, L. B.; Ellinger, F. H.; Fried, S.; Zachariasen, W. H. (March 1955). "EVIDENCE FOR QUADRIVALENT CURIUM: X-RAY DATA ON CURIUM OXIDES1". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 77 (6): 1707–1708. doi:10.1021/ja01611a108. ISSN 0002-7863. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. ^ Noé, M.; Fuger, J. (1 May 1971). "Self-radiation effects on the lattice parameter of 244CmO2". Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry Letters. 7 (5): 421–430. doi:10.1016/0020-1650(71)80177-0. ISSN 0020-1650. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  3. ^ Konings, R. J. M. (1 October 2001). "Thermochemical and thermophysical properties of curium and its oxides". Journal of Nuclear Materials. 298 (3): 255–268. Bibcode:2001JNuM..298..255K. doi:10.1016/S0022-3115(01)00652-3. ISSN 0022-3115. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  4. ^ Lumetta, Gregg J.; Thompson, Major C.; Penneman, Robert A.; Eller, P. Gary (2006). "Curium". The Chemistry of the Actinide and Transactinide Elements. Springer Netherlands: 1397–1443. doi:10.1007/1-4020-3598-5_9. ISBN 978-1-4020-3555-5. Retrieved 29 June 2023.