Chemical inhibitions of radioactive elements

[Mayhem]

Is it possible to chemically inhibit (block/absorb) ionizing radiation from radioactive elements, and is any research being done in this area to use it for long term storage of nuclear waste (in conjunction with other precautions, of course)?

 

[Vanadium 50]

chemically inhibit (block/absorb) ionizing radiation

What does this mean? Why isn't blocking it with lead, for example, something that fits this description?

 

[Mayhem]

What does this mean? Why isn't blocking it with lead, for example, something that fits this description?

If you could chemically inhibit, let's say, depleted uranium atomically such that the radiation is weakened, then transportation loads could be made lighter and accidental spills would be less catastrophic.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Lead attenuates (is that what you mean by "weaken"?) the radiation.

 

[Rive]

Is it possible to chemically inhibit (block/absorb) ionizing radiation from radioactive elements

In case of (any dangerous level/type of) radiation, the chemical bonds and radiation are just not playing in the same league. Shielding/absorbing in general is done through mechanical means (radiation bashing around atoms, electrons, nuclei and losing energy while bouncing back and forth)(well, mostly true, up to a certain value of 'true'), since this has no upper limit on energy transfer.
Chemistry has.

The only say chemistry has in this matter is about holding the right obstacles in right place in a convenient way.

 

[Tom.G]

Blocking radiation chemically is sort of like blocking sound with a single sheet of paper, or a light beam with a single sheet of glass.

Chemical bonds involve the sharing of orbital Electrons between different atoms.

Nuclear Radiation is when a sub-atomic particular is emitted from the nucleus of an atom, and has nothing to do with the Electrons in orbit.

They are two completely different mechanisms.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[TeethWhitener]

There are a few prominent instances where the electronic structure of a material will affect its radioactivity. Probably the most well-known is the case where a nucleus undergoes electron capture (inverse beta decay) as a decay mechanism. The half-life is dependent on the electron density at the nucleus, which is dependent on the chemical environment of the atom.
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.112501
In this PRL paper, beryllium-7 was observed to have a shorter half life (by several percent) when placed inside a fullerene. The higher electron density at the beryllium nucleus makes electron capture more likely, shortening the half life.

In principle, the half life for alpha decay should also change slightly when the electron density at the nucleus changes, as the Coulomb portion of the potential that the alpha has to tunnel through is altered. I have a vague memory of a paper from long ago saying this effect is very very small.

Technically, I guess Mossbauer spectroscopy falls into this camp too. The energy of a gamma photon emitted from an excited nucleus (usually Fe-57 or some cobalt nucleus) changes depending on the chemical environment the nucleus is in.

 

[Vanadium 50]

None of that has any relevance to the OP's application of storing nuclear waste.

 

[hutchphd]

In this PRL paper, beryllium-7 was observed to have a shorter half life (by several percent) when placed inside a fullerene.

It is also summarized here:
https://www.nature.com/articles/news040913-24