Chemistry of nuclear transformations: radioactive decay modes, isotope tracers, radiometric dating, radiation chemistry. Distinct from L1 nuclear physics in that it takes nuclear processes as given and studies their chemical and…
nuclear-chemistry
Radiometric dating
Age determination of a sample from the ratio of a radioactive parent isotope to its stable daughter, using the decay law N(t) = N₀ e^{-λt}.…
Radioisotope tracer method
Use of radioactively-labelled compounds to track the fate of specific atoms through chemical, biochemical, or physical processes. Labelled…
Nuclear transmutation
Conversion of one chemical element (or isotope) into another by a nuclear reaction — radioactive decay, neutron capture, particle…
Neutron activation analysis (NAA)
Sample is irradiated with thermal neutrons; stable nuclei capture neutrons and become radioactive; subsequent γ-decay energies and…
Nuclear cross section σ (chem)
Effective target area (barns, 1 b = 10⁻²⁸ m²) for a nuclear reaction. Energy-dependent resonances; thermal vs fast-neutron σ differ by 10⁶.…
Nuclear fission chain reaction
Neutron-induced fission of ²³⁵U/²³⁹Pu releases 2-3 prompt neutrons + 200 MeV. Critical mass requires k_eff≥1; moderator (H₂O/D₂O/graphite)…
Nuclear fusion (D-T)
²H+³H→⁴He+n+17.6 MeV. Lawson criterion nτE>10²⁰ s/m³ at T~10⁸ K. Tokamak (ITER), inertial confinement (NIF ignition 2022). Tritium breeding…
Radioactive decay law (chem)
First-order kinetics: N(t)=N₀e^(-λt), half-life t₁/₂=ln(2)/λ. α, β⁻, β⁺, EC, γ, internal conversion, spontaneous fission. Rutherford-Soddy…
Binding energy per nucleon curve
Binding energy per nucleon peaks at ⁵⁶Fe (~8.8 MeV); fusion drives light nuclei up, fission splits heavy. Semi-empirical mass formula…
Radiopharmaceuticals (Tc-99m, F-18)
⁹⁹ᵐTc (SPECT, t½=6 h) from ⁹⁹Mo generator; ¹⁸F-FDG (PET, t½=110 min) for oncology/neurology. PSMA-Lu-177 theranostics for prostate cancer.
Reactor moderators & neutron thermalization
Moderator slows fast fission n; logs ξ; H₂O (PWR), D₂O (CANDU), graphite; low σ_a required.
Reactor kinetics & delayed neutrons
β ≈ 0.65% delayed neutrons from fission fragments extend period to s; control rod actuation; point kinetics.
Breeder reactor fuel cycle
U-238 + n → Pu-239; Th-232 + n → U-233; fast reactors; closed fuel cycle; Integral Fast Reactor concept.
Nuclear waste & actinide partitioning
HLW = fission products + minor actinides (Np, Am, Cm); long-lived α-emitters; PUREX, DIAMEX, TRUEX separations.
Radiochemistry separation procedures
Solvent extraction (TBP, TOA), ion exchange, extraction chromatography; online ISOL for exotic isotopes.
Radiopharmaceuticals (PET/SPECT)
¹⁸F-FDG, ⁶⁸Ga, ⁹⁹mTc, ¹²³I tracers; chelators (DOTA, NOTA); theranostics pairing diagnosis + therapy isotopes.
Hot atom (Szilárd–Chalmers) chemistry
Nuclear-reaction recoil ejects atoms from chemical environment; used for carrier-free isotope production.
Cosmogenic nuclide dating
¹⁰Be (1.4 Myr), ²⁶Al, ³⁶Cl from cosmic-ray spallation; surface-exposure dating of glacial retreats, meteorites.
Becquerel (1896)
H Becquerel 1896 (Nobel 1903) discovery of radioactivity; modern radio-pharmaceutical 99mTc generator + lutetium-177-PSMA-prostate.
Rutherford atom (1911)
E Rutherford 1911 (Nobel 1908) gold-foil + nuclear-atom; modern Mott + Rutherford-backscattering-spectrometry materials.
Fission (Hahn-Strassmann 1938)
O Hahn-F Strassmann 1938 (Hahn Nobel 1944) U-fission; modern fast-reactor + thorium-cycle MSR + IEAE compact-thorium-MSR designs.
Actinides (Seaborg 1944)
E McMillan-G Seaborg 1944 (Nobel 1951) Np + Pu transuranium; modern Z=118 oganesson 2002 + island-of-stability search Z=120-126.
Neutron (Chadwick 1932)
J Chadwick 1932 (Nobel 1935) neutron discovery; modern neutron-scattering + neutron-stars + 14-MeV-fusion-DT-source materials.
Mössbauer (1958)
R Mössbauer 1958 (Nobel 1961) recoilless γ-resonance 57Fe; modern Mössbauer-spectroscopy iron-protein active-site + planetary-rover.