Researchers from Delft University in the Netherlands have developed a method to create atomic clusters consisting of silver atoms or atoms of other metals. Surprisingly, these aggregates, called super atoms (an aggregate of 13 silver atoms, for example) behave in the same way as individual atoms and have given birth to a completely new branch of chemistry
If a silver wire is heated to about 900 degrees Celsius, vapors of silver atoms begin to form. These "floating" atoms stick to each other and form small groups. It seems that small clumps of silver atoms containing, for example, 9, 13 or 55 atoms, are energetically stable and are therefore present in the silver "fog" at a higher frequency than expected.
Professor Andreas Schmidt-Ott and Dr. Christian Peineke managed to collect these super atoms and make them suitable for more detailed chemical experiments. The mechanism that controls this stability in superatoms was described in the journal Science by scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2005.
They discovered metallic superatoms, but based on aluminum. Their aluminum clusters, which contained 13, 23 and 37 atoms, behaved identically to individual atoms because they contained electrons orbiting the entire cluster. These external energy levels were surprisingly similar to the external energy levels of atoms of individual elements from the periodic table.
These superatoms provided the periodic table with a third dimension, as the researcher explains: "The chemical properties of superatoms that have been discovered so far are very similar to those of the elements in the periodic table, because their external energy level is very similar. However, we have not yet discovered superatoms with a different external energy level, a fact that could provide us with a whole set of completely new chemical properties."
The researcher hopes to find clusters of atoms with new and unique magnetic, optical and electronic properties, and which will also be stable enough to form crystals or other solid structures. Possible applications include catalysts in the field of fuels and ultra-high conductivity crystals. In conclusion - although super atoms have been known for a long time, thanks to researchers from the University of Delft it is now possible to collect the particles at a high level of cleanliness and in a selective manner according to their size and thus be suitable for chemical experiments.
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Atzvan-Ner:
Uranium enrichment does consume energy, but as you said, it is about filtering the desired isotope from what is already there. This is dwarfed energy compared to that invested, as Point pointed out, when the uranium was created in the first place during supernovae and other violent cosmic events.
The super atoms would not know the explosion below the energy level of the normal atoms from which they were created and in total will return the energy invested in their creation.
I don't know how much energy it is, but I didn't get the impression that it was a lot.
To Michael
There is nothing in my words to contradict the law of conservation of energy. I will try to explain briefly.
It is clear that the same energy, contained in the material enriched with superatoms, was previously accumulated in the process during which the material was enriched with superatoms, similar to the enrichment process
that goes through the uranium in an atomic bomb (similarly but not in the same way). The enrichment process involves the investment of energy. At the same time, I am aware of what is written in the article that the creation of superatoms involves heating, that is, the investment of energy, while in the uranium enrichment process, the investment of energy is only for the purpose of extracting the isotope-236.
At the same time, don't forget that this is not a mechanism for producing energy for civilian use, but an idea for creating a bomb that is very powerful compared to conventional bombs on the one hand, but without residual radioactive radiation, on the other hand.
A. Ben-Ner:
It seems to me that you did not understand the point that point made.
Without having anything to do with your theory about the structure of atoms and the forces that hold them together, you will not be able to extract more energy from them than you put into their creation.
I don't want to talk too much about something I don't know (and I don't know what the structure of super atoms is and if it has anything to do with what you said) but the law of conservation of energy is a very well-established theory and it seems to me that a theory that contradicts it will not stand the test of reality.
I also don't know how much energy is invested in creating a single super atom and it may be a lot but the principle of point words is true.
Very nice!
The point is that there is a great equivalence between an atom and the "super-atom", and this is a way to produce extremely heavy "atoms".
Then you can find a heavy superatom instead of uranium, whose chain reaction multiplier is better. I wonder what radioactivity the material they choose will have.
I wonder if they will use it as a substitute for a hydrogen bomb as well. I wonder how many people will die because of what I say here.
Interesting, but not important, because a second before you hit a concrete pillar at 200 km/h, it doesn't really matter anymore if you press on and slow down to 190.
It is important to enjoy what is left. before we burn
before it's over Because people have no morals.
Discover Discover Naughty Pep!
to the point
Unfortunately you did not understand the point.
My assumption is that the bonds, which cause the connection between the nuclei of the atoms, are not normal chemical bonds (electrical, covalent), such as the bonds between the atoms in molecules or crystals, but other bonds, of the "weak nuclear force", which operates in much smaller distance ranges compared to the operating ranges of The electric power. These bonds, in the short ranges in which they operate, have a higher energy than the energy of the electrical repulsive forces and therefore, they manage to stably maintain the crystal-like structure of the "superatoms", despite the electrical repulsive forces between the positive nuclei. Based on this assumption, I proposed the idea that I called the "weak nuclear bomb".
"Weak" in a literal sense: both because it is weaker than a normal-"strong" nuclear bomb (based on the strong nuclear force) and also because it is based on the so-called "weak nuclear force".
Ben Ner, it is not possible to develop a nuclear bomb on these. There is not enough energy there if it is possible to create them through normal chemical processes.
To remind you, the heavy atoms were created as a result of catastrophic events during the explosion of a star and from there the high energies.
Hence, in the clusters of nuclei the distances between the nuclei that make up each cluster are much smaller compared to the distances between the nuclei of the atoms in chemical crystals.
What happens to the bond energy?
Maybe we can develop a "weak nuclear bomb"
Which will be based on material enriched with "super atoms" which will be powerful, with much stronger energy than a conventional bomb but, without residual radioactive radiation.
(Sorry for the war-horrific idea, but if this possibility exists, then it will come up anyway)
What force connects the atomic "clusters"?
It looks like "nuclear crystals" whose connecting force is the weak nuclear force
Instead of the usual chemical forces that bind the atoms in the chemical crystals.
They are not man-made, researchers have learned to "harvest" them
These are actually man-made atoms.