See also: Pm

The promethium is a chemical element, of Pm symbol and Atomic number 61. The French name of this element is rather Prométhéum , the term Prométhium being in theory an English term.

It is spread, often associated very little with the Uranium as in the Pechblende. It is indeed a product of the chain of Désintégration of uranium.

It belongs to the family of the Lanthanides. Its name comes from Prométhée, a Titan of the Greek Mythologie which stole fire to the gods.

Promethium does not exist in a natural state on the ground. It is extracted from the residues of the reprocessing of fuel of the nuclear plants.

Notable characteristics

Promethium is a transmitter of particles beta, it does not emit a gamma ray. One still does not know well the properties of metal promethium, but two forms allotropic S exist. Promethium salts, for example mixture of ¹⁴⁷Pm₂O and ZnS/Cu2+, are slightly luminescent S in the black with a blue or green gleam caused by their high Radioactivité.

Applications

• Pas of another current application that luminescent compounds because of its radioactivity.

• Being studied: its use like source of heat and thus of electricity in the space applications. Also as a portable source of X-rays.

History

In 1947, Jacob Marinsky, Lawrence E. Glendenin and Charles D. Coryell identified it in the residues of a Nuclear reactor with Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Others

A substance called Prométhium is used in the play of plate Warhammer 40000 and acted as extremely flammable fuel.

Promethium is the name of the queen of the Mechanical Empire in the universe of Leiji Matsumoto. She appears in the series Galaxy Express 999.

See too

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