Californium(III) oxide explained

Californium(III) oxide is a binary inorganic compound of californium and oxygen with the formula .^[1] It is one of the first obtained solid compounds of californium, synthesized in 1958.

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Synthesis

The compound can be prepared by burning ionite in air, on which ions of trivalent californium are sorbed, at a temperature of 1400 °C. It can also be obtained by β-decay of berkelium(III) oxide.

Physical properties

Californium(III) oxide forms a yellow-green solid with a melting point of 1750 °C and exists in three modifications.^[2] The body-centered cubic modification forms a crystal lattice with a = 1083.9 ± 0.4 pm. The transition temperature between body-centered cubic and monoclinic structures is about 1400 °C.^{[3] [4]}

It is insoluble in water.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Morss . Lester R. . Fuger . J. . Goffart . J. . Edelstein . N. . Shalimoff . G. V. . Enthalpy of formation and magnetic susceptibility of californium sesquioxide, Cf2O3 . . 1 January 1987 . 127 . 251–257 . 10.1016/0022-5088(87)90385-7 . 10 April 2023 . en . 0022-5088.
2. Book: Macintyre . Jane E. . Dictionary of Inorganic Compounds . 23 July 1992 . . 978-0-412-30120-9 . 2826 . 10 April 2023 . en.
3. Copeland . J. C. . Cunningham . B. B. . Crystallography of the compounds of californium—II crystal structure and lattice parameters of californium oxychloride and californium sesquioxide . . 1 March 1969 . 31 . 3 . 733–740 . 10.1016/0022-1902(69)80020-5 . 10 April 2023 . en . 0022-1902.
4. Green . J. L. . Cunningham . B. B. . Crystallography of the compounds of californium. I. Crystal structure and lattice parameters of californium sesquioxide and californium trichloride . . 1 September 1967 . 3 . 9 . 343–349 . 10.1016/0020-1650(67)80040-0 . 10 April 2023 . en . 0020-1650.
5. Book: Schweitzer . George K. . Pesterfield . Lester L. . The Aqueous Chemistry of the Elements . 14 January 2010 . . 978-0-19-539335-4 . 406 . 11 April 2023 . en.