Description
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Americium is an actinide that has a silvery white, or yellow, color in its natural solid state. It tarnishes in dry air, and it is somewhat malleable. Americium has an atomic weight of 243, a melting point of 2149 °F, and a boiling point of 4725 °F. Americium does not have many commercial uses as it is very expensive to produce. Americium is used in minute quantities in some smoke detectors, in the production of certain types of glasses, and as a source of ionizing radiation.
Isolation
Americium is not found freely in nature, and it must be synthesized for its commercial and laboratory uses; isolation procedures of this element are still being studied.
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Americium is synthesized using the bombardment of plutonium with neutrons. The process begins with the donation of neutrons that are created either through nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or through high energy reactions. The bombardment of neutrons on the plutonium causes the plutonium to absorb the extra neutrons which forms the element americium. Neutron bombardment takes place in specialized containers as this process causes dislocations in metals; metals that are exposed to neutron bombardment become brittle, and some metals even begin to swell. There are current studies on the solvent extraction possibilities of americium; these studies may result in reduced toxic wastes that are produced by nuclear reactors. By removing americium through liquid to liquid extractions, it may be possible to remove radioactive elements in the nuclear wastes that have long half lives. America is a synthetic element, and it can only be created and extracted through very specialized methods.