Americium dioxide

Cubic

Am, O

Americiumdioxid

Black solid

Fixed

11.68 g · cm -3

1000 ° C ( decomposition)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Americium ( IV) oxide is an oxide of the element Americium. It has the molecular formula AMO2. Since all isotopes of americium are synthesized, has americium (IV ) oxide, no natural occurrence. The result is implicitly including in nuclear reactors by irradiation of uranium dioxide (UO2 ) and plutonium dioxide ( PuO2 ) with neutrons. Americium (IV ) oxide is the most important link of this element. Almost all applications of this element based on this connection.

Representation

For small quantities, the annealing of salts of americium offers. Most of this (III ) oxalate are ( Am2 ( C2O4 ) 3) or americium (III ) nitrate ( Am ( NO3 ) 3) used americium. The americium (III) nitrate solutions are evaporated and then to the oxide annealed at 1,000 ° C. The same is done with precipitated americium (III ) oxalate and subsequent annealing at 900 ° C.

Properties

Americium (IV ) oxide is a black solid. It crystallizes in the cubic crystal system, the structure type is the type CaF2 ( fluorite ) with space group Fm3m and the coordination numbers Am, O.

Use

Americium (IV ) oxide ( with the isotope 241 Am ) is used as a source of ionizing radiation. Application areas are the fluorescence spectroscopy and as Ionisation.

In future radionuclide americium could (IV ) oxide come with the same radionuclide as the fuel used.

Safety

Classifications according to the Hazardous Substances Ordinance are not available because they only include the chemical danger and play a very minor role compared to the risks based on the radioactivity. Even the latter applies only if there is a relevant material for this amount.