High-temperature transuranium organometallic species from laser ablation of actinide-polymer mixtures

pulsed laser ablation of dispersions of f-element compounds in polymers produces novel 'high-temperature' organometallic complex ions. The M+-L from reactions of metal ions (M+) with polymer fragments (L) in the ablation plume are identified by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Compositions and abundances of M+-L from ablation of UO2 and lanthanides in polyimide (PI) reflected distinctive f-element chemistries; we report here on ablation of (NpO2)-Np-237 and (PuO2)-Pu-242 in PI. Primary products were Np+-CcHh and Pu+-CcHh with 1 less than or equal to c less than or similar to 20-the characteristic complex ion compositions and abundances reveal distinctive chemistries; the transuranium results are compared with those for other f elements. Studies of lanthanides in polystyrene rather than PI excluded N-14 (isobaric with (CH2)-C-12) as a potential ligand constituent, clarifying ion compositions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.