Francium (Fr) - Properties and Applications of Francium

Dec 18 2001

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Chemical Formula

Fr

Background

Mlle. Marguerite Perey of the Curie Institute, Paris, discovered francium in 1939. It is the heaviest known member of the alkali metal series and occurs as a result of an alpha disintegration of actinium. It may be synthesised by bombardment of thorium with protons. It occurs naturally in uranium minerals, but it is said to only be a tenth of an ounce in the total earth’s crust at any one time due to its instability.

Twenty-nine isotopes of francium are recognised, the longest lived 223Fr, a daughter of 227Ac, has a half-life of just 22min. It is noted that this is the only source of francium that occurs in nature.

Knowledge of chemical properties of francium are limited due to all known isotopes being highly unstable. Method of analysis of francium must be carried out by radiochemical techniques. No weighable quantity of the element have been prepared or isolated. Francium chemical properties reflect those of caesium/cesium.

 

Primary author: AZoM.com

 

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