Oak Ridge, Tennessee – Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have made a groundbreaking discovery nearly eight decades after the initial revelation of a rare radioactive element known as promethium. This recent study, published in Nature, has the potential to revolutionize the field of chemistry by revealing crucial information about promethium that was previously unknown.
The research conducted by the team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has shed light on the bond length between promethium and surrounding atoms, offering key insights into the element’s properties. With only about one pound of promethium existing on Earth at any given time, the element is predominantly used for research purposes, as well as in nuclear batteries utilized in pacemakers and space exploration.
Notably, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the sole producer of promethium-147 in the United States, utilizing the High Flux Isotope Reactor to create unique materials through the bombardment of materials with a concentrated beam of neutrons. This reactor is renowned as one of the world’s most powerful research nuclear reactors, enabling the production of elements like plutonium-238 and californium-252 for various applications, including NASA space missions and nuclear reactor startups.
Promethium, named after Prometheus from Greek mythology, remained a secret discovery at Oak Ridge National Laboratory until after the conclusion of the Manhattan Project. The element filled a crucial gap in the periodic table, as all other lanthanides from lanthanum to lutetium had been discovered and studied. Lanthanides play a vital role in modern technologies like smartphones, laptops, car batteries, lasers, and cancer treatments.
The recent study on promethium conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory involved a team of 18 authors, led by scientists like Ilja Popovs, Alex Ivanov, and Santa Jansone-Popova. Utilizing cutting-edge facilities like the High Flux Isotope Reactor and the Summit supercomputer, the researchers were able to isolate and purify promethium after rigorous efforts lasting four months. This meticulous process highlighted the challenges associated with obtaining significant quantities of chemically pure promethium due to its rarity and instability.
Furthermore, the discovery of promethium has led to significant advancements in the understanding of lanthanide contraction, a phenomenon where atoms of the elements shrink as their atomic number increases, impacting their properties. This newfound knowledge has the potential to enhance the efficiency of separating lanthanides, a critical process in utilizing these elements in modern devices.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a rich history of element discovery, with credits for identifying promethium in 1945, as well as collaborating on the development of moscovium in 2003 and tennessine in 2010. These contributions underscore the lab’s pivotal role in scientific innovation and research, solidifying its position as a leader in the field.