On-line gas chemistry experiments with transactinide elements

Abstract

Recent experiments are reviewed which used on-line isothermal gas chromatography techniques for studying chemical properties of transactinide elements. In these experiments the volatilities of chloride and bromide molecules in quartz columns were investigated. Measured chromatograms obtained with single molecules are shown to be correlated with the vapor pressure of the corresponding macroamounts. All existing data reveal that element 104 (rutherfordium) chloride has a volatility resembling very much those of the chlorides from the homologous elements hafnium and zirconium. For element 105 (hahnium) a surprisingly low volatility of the bromide compound, is found if compared to those of the corresponding bromides from the homologous elements tantalum and niobium. This latter experimental observation contrasts relativistic theoretical calculations which would predict a higher volatility for hahnium bromide if compared to those of tantalum and niobium bromides.