Application of chromatographic and electrophoretic methods to the study of the Szilard-Chalmers effect

✍ Scribed by J.-P. Adloff

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1965
• Weight: 757 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0009-5907
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-5907(65)80003-5

✦ Synopsis

Ever since 1934, when SZILARD AND CHALMERS 1 first demonstrated chemical changes taking place in a nuclear reaction, a steadily growing number of studies has been devoted to the effects of nuclear transformations on atoms and molecules. SIUDA'S ~ comprehensive survey of the literature listed lOl 3 publications up to the end of 1962, and over IOO papers were published in 1963. Study of the Szilard-Chalmers effect (or, more generally, of the chemical effects associated with nuclear transformations) constitutes an important branch of radiochemistry, and is of equal interest in other fields of physical chemistry, such as kinetics, the study of ion-molecule reactions, the study of free radicals, mass spectrometry, and radiation chemistry.

"Nascent" or "hot" atoms possess a charge and/or a kinetic or excitation energy whose values are determined by the nature of the nuclear process in which these atoms are produced: radiative neutron capture, transformations induced by fast neutrons or by accelerated ions, photonuclear reactions, or nuclear fission. Since these atoms are radioactive, their progress can be followed by techniques used currently in tracer chemistry. In the case of spontaneous disintegration by ~-or fl-emission, electron capture, or isomeric transition, the scope of research is strictly limited to radioactive filiation products unless we include mass spectrometric analysis of ions or charged fragments, formed by the disintegration of isolated atoms or radioactive atoms that are constituents of a labelled molecule.

After transferring most of their excess energy or charge to the surroundings, the References p. 62.