Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Properties of Transition Metals02:58

Properties of Transition Metals

Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3–12 are transition elements. The f-block elements, also called inner transition metals (the lanthanides and actinides), also meet this criterion because the d orbital is partially occupied before the f orbitals.
Colors and Magnetism03:02

Colors and Magnetism

Color in Coordination Complexes
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
Electron Configuration of Multielectron Atoms03:26

Electron Configuration of Multielectron Atoms

The alkali metal sodium (atomic number 11) has one more electron than the neon atom. This electron must go into the lowest-energy subshell available, the 3s orbital, giving a 1s22s22p63s1 configuration. The electrons occupying the outermost shell orbital(s) (highest value of n) are called valence electrons, and those occupying the inner shell orbitals are called core electrons. Since the core electron shells correspond to noble gas electron configurations, we can abbreviate electron...
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Redox Titration: Other Oxidizing and Reducing Agents01:26

Redox Titration: Other Oxidizing and Reducing Agents

Besides iodine, other oxidizing or reducing agents can serve as titrants in redox titrations. Common oxidizing titrants include KMnO4, cerium(IV), and K2Cr2O7. The choice of oxidizing titrants depends on factors like stability, cost, analyte strength, and reaction rate between the analyte and titrant. KMnO4 is a strong oxidizing titrant that reduces from Mn(VII) to Mn(II) in a highly acidic solution, simultaneously oxidizing the analyte to a higher oxidation state. In this case, KMnO4 acts as a...
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Incorporating Mono- and Trivalent Thallium Cations into Trivalent Lanthanide Squarate and Squarate-Oxalate Complexes.

Inorganic chemistry·2026
Same author

Spectroscopic Characterization of Tetravalent Berkelium.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Enhanced Ion-Exchange Properties of a Complex Microporous Uranyl Borophosphate.

Inorganic chemistry·2025
Same author

4f-Orbital Occupancy in Tetravalent Cerium Halide Complexes from X-ray Spectroscopy and Theory.

Inorganic chemistry·2025
Same author

An Ytterbium-Pyrazine Square [(C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>4</sub>Me)<sub>2</sub>Yb<sup>III</sup>(pyz<sup>•-</sup>)]<sub>4</sub> Formed by Reversible Electron Transfer and Concomitant Self-Assembly.

Inorganic chemistry·2025
Same author

Insights into Structural Diversity and Morphotropic Evolution in A<sub>4</sub>Th(WO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>4</sub> (A=Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) Family.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
12:22

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films

Published on: November 9, 2015

From yellow to black: dramatic changes between cerium(IV) and plutonium(IV) molybdates.

Justin N Cross1, Patrick M Duncan, Eric M Villa

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|January 31, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Hydrothermal synthesis yielded distinct cerium and plutonium molybdate structures. The plutonium compound, CsPu(3)Mo(6)O(24)(H(2)O), exhibits a semiconducting black-red color due to mixed Mo oxidation states.

More Related Videos

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation
14:22

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation

Published on: April 11, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
12:22

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films

Published on: November 9, 2015

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation
14:22

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation

Published on: April 11, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

  • Hydrothermal reactions are versatile for synthesizing novel inorganic compounds.
  • Cerium and plutonium chemistries, particularly with molybdenum oxides, present unique challenges and opportunities.
  • Understanding the structural and electronic properties of rare-earth and actinide compounds is crucial for materials applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the comparative hydrothermal reactions of cerium and plutonium chlorides with molybdenum trioxide and cesium carbonate.
  • To characterize the resulting crystalline structures and their properties.
  • To elucidate the factors contributing to the distinct colors and semiconducting behavior of the synthesized compounds.

Main Methods:

  • Hydrothermal synthesis reactions.
  • Single-crystal X-ray diffraction for structural determination.
  • X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy for oxidation state analysis.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct compounds were synthesized: Ce(3)Mo(6)O(24)(H(2)O)(4) (yellow plates) and CsPu(3)Mo(6)O(24)(H(2)O) (black-red semiconducting plates).
  • Both compounds share similar channel structures but differ in channel occupants (water vs. Cs+).
  • XANES confirmed tetravalent plutonium and revealed an ambiguous Mo oxidation state (Mo(V)/Mo(VI)) in the plutonium compound, contributing to its color.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of Cs+ in the channels of the plutonium compound, alongside mixed Mo oxidation states, leads to its semiconducting and black-red properties.
  • Structural topology is conserved, but cation occupancy significantly influences material properties.
  • The study highlights the nuanced reactivity of cerium and plutonium under hydrothermal conditions.