The researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a new, innovative mass spectrometry technique that allows the characterization of chemical mixtures. This breakthrough now allows scientists to directly measure molecules containing heavy and superheavy elements. This innovative FIONA provided a significant technical breakthrough in chemistry. In particular, it deepens our understanding of the constituents on the lower end of the periodic table.
Researchers used the 88-Inch Cyclotron at Berkeley Lab to accelerate a beam of calcium isotopes for the experiment. It then focused this beam onto a target made of thulium and lead. This process produced a cloud of particles that included dangerous actinides. It further enabled the team to create molecules holding actinium (Ac), element 89, and nobelium (No), element 102. Over a 10-day nonstop run, researchers synthesized almost 2000 molecules containing actinium or nobelium.
Advancements in Detection
FIONA has the ability to make and sense molecules with extraordinary specificity. This new capability is important for studying very short-lived isotopes as it was difficult with previous techniques. The limitations of previous techniques, which were only able to study molecules with a lifetime of around one second, were circumvented. FIONA and other molecular machines can study molecules that live only 0.1 seconds. This breakthrough provides unprecedented opportunities to study the superheavy elements, as yet undiscovered, and their unique chemical properties.
Jennifer Pore, a top scientist for the collaborative project, said she is “pumped” by these developments.
“What is really exciting is that this opens the door to the next generation of atom-at-a-time chemistry studies—so looking at the chemistry of superheavy elements and asking whether or not they are in the correct positions on the periodic table,” – Jennifer Pore.
Sensitivity and speed are the two key advantages of FIONA – making it a leader in this nascent research area. The system’s powerful capability to detect extremely small amounts of substances makes it possible to find things you would normally miss. Pore elaborated on this point:
“We’re working with extremely small amounts of material, far beyond what the human eye can detect. The ability to extract meaningful information from these tiny samples is a big deal. FIONA is much faster than anything that’s ever been done before, and more sensitive.” – Jennifer Pore.
Exploring Fundamental Chemistry
The experiment’s most significant discoveries emphasize how vital it is to grasp the basic chemistry of radioactive elements. By creating molecules that bond with water or nitrogen atoms, researchers can gain insights into chemical behaviors that were previously obscured by rapid decay rates. The findings align perfectly within known trends for actinide chemistry, highlighting the potential for additional investigations.
The ramifications of this work extend beyond theoretical studies. They hold potential implications for real-world applications, particularly in cancer treatment. The isotope actinium-225 has produced eye-popping results in treating some hard-to-reach metastatic cancers. By better understanding the chemistry of these radioactive elements, researchers could potentially streamline the production of specific molecules necessary for effective treatments.
“This was the first time anyone’s ever done a direct comparison of an early actinide to a late actinide element.” – Jennifer Pore.
FIONA’s debut stands to mark a historic chapter in superheavy element research. In the past, chemists relied on old methods that needed a significant amount of liquid samples. This sometimes resulted in non-intentional missed opportunities for understanding the behaviors of each individual atom.
“But if we could understand the chemistry of these radioactive elements better, we might have an easier time producing the specific molecules needed for cancer treatment.” – Jennifer Pore.
A New Era for Superheavy Chemistry
Jacklyn Gates, another scientist involved in the study, emphasized FIONA’s unique capabilities:
As researchers continue exploring how electrons behave differently in elements influenced by relativistic effects, they anticipate stronger effects within superheavy elements.
“This is very different than the traditional chemistry most people think of, where you have beakers with lots and lots of liquid.” – Jennifer Pore.
Jacklyn Gates, another scientist involved in the study, emphasized FIONA’s unique capabilities:
“FIONA is really the secret sauce for the chemistry, and FIONA wasn’t even designed to do chemistry.” – Jacklyn Gates.
As researchers continue exploring how electrons behave differently in elements influenced by relativistic effects, they anticipate stronger effects within superheavy elements.
“The electrons behave very differently in elements where you have these large relativistic effects, and the effect is expected to be even stronger in the superheavy elements,” – Jennifer Pore.