Paramagnetic Susceptibilities and Electronic Structures of Aqueous Cations of Elements 92 to 95 (open access)

Paramagnetic Susceptibilities and Electronic Structures of Aqueous Cations of Elements 92 to 95

Abstract: Magnetic susceptibilities per gram atomic weight of elements 92 to 95 in most of their oxidation states were measured at 20°C on 0.1 ml of solution which was 0.005 to 0.09M in heavy element. The values obtained (all paramagnetic) in units × 106 were: U(IV), 3690; Np(VI), 2060; Np(V), 4120; Np(IV), 4000; Pu(IV), 1610; Pu(III), 370; Am(III), 720. The results could be interpreted only on the basis of electronic configurations 5fn, even though susceptibilities were generally lower than the theoretical values and lower than experimental values for corresponding lanthanide 4fn cations. The lower values should be expected as a result of the Stark effect produced by electric fields of anions and of water dipoles. Failure of the Russell‐Saunders approximation to the coupling between electrons may account for some of the error in the theoretical calculations. That the susceptibilities of Pu(III) and Am(III) are manyfold lower than those of Sm(III) and Eu(III), respectively, is attributed to wider multiplet splitting in the actinide atoms.
Date: November 12, 1948
Creator: Howland, Jerome J. & Calvin, Melvin, 1911-1997
System: The UNT Digital Library