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Nuclear Chemistry. Nuclear Science and the Structure of the Atomic Nucleus. Developments in Physical & Theoretical Chemistry

  • Book

  • December 2026
  • Elsevier Science and Technology
  • ID: 6251496
Nuclear chemistry is an active research area aimed at understanding the structure of the atomic nucleus, but also in understanding how this structure impacts other aspects of the world around us, including the limits of existence in terms of the heaviest elements, the equation of state for nuclear matter and the use of exotic nuclei for societal applications. Nuclear Chemistry: Nuclear Science and the Structure of the Atomic Nucleus addresses the current state of the art in nuclear science, with a focus on sub-topics which remain strongly tied to chemistry rather than to physics disciplines. Nuclear science is historically nuclear chemistry; connections between nuclear science and chemical science are deep, substantial but often underappreciated. This volume will provide the necessary background, both scientific and historic, for students and experienced researchers alike to understand and appreciate the science of the atomic nucleus and the cutting-edge research which is ongoing in this area. The book is intended to provide a first introduction and overview of nuclear chemistry and nuclear science with chapters outlining the basic concepts before sections dealing with a range of core topics and highlighting current research directions to provide a reader with a clear overall sense of the field. This book is an ideal primer for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level students, postdoctoral researchers and research scientists in the fields of nuclear science, physical chemistry, chemical physics, particle physics and atomic theory. It will also be of interest to biochemists, medical personnel, material scientists, cosmochemists, radiochemists and others engaged in isotopes research, who may utilize nuclear techniques in their work.

Table of Contents

Section I: Introduction to Nuclear Science
1. Fundamentals of the Atomic Nucleus
2. Models to Describe the Nucleus: A Taste of Nuclear Theory
3. Facilities for Nuclear Science Research
4. The Historic Place of Nuclear Science in Chemistry

Section II: Fundamental Properties of Nuclei
5. Interaction of Radiation with Matter
6. Shapes, Size and Moments of Nuclei
7. Nuclear Decay
8. Nuclear Reactions
9. Nuclear Excited States and Transitions

Section III: Nuclear Energy: Fusion and Fission
10. Nuclear Fusion
11. Nuclear Fission

Section IV: Superheavy Element Science
12. Production of the Heaviest Elements
13. Basic Chemical Properties of the SHE
14. Atom-at-a-Time Chemistry and the SHE

Section V: Equation of State of Nuclear Matter
15. Reactions to Probe Equation of State
16. Equation of State Probed by Nuclear Collisions

Section VI: Nuclei in the Cosmos
17. Element Formation in the Early Universe
18. Measurement of Isotopes in the Stars
19. Nuclear Astrophysics
20. Astrochemistry

Section VII: Radioisotopes and Applications
21. Isotope Production
22. Radioisotope Harvesting
23. Applications of Actinides
24. Medical Applications
25. Environmental Nuclear Analytical Techniques
26. Radioisotope Dating Applications

Authors

Heather L. Crawford Nuclear Structure Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA. Heather L. Crawford is a Senior Staff Scientist in the Nuclear Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA. She obtained her BSc in Chemistry from Simon Fraser University (British Columbia, Canada) in 2006 and her PhD in nuclear chemistry from Michigan State University in 2010. Her research is focused on the structure of very neutron-rich nuclei and experiments performed at international facilities such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, as well as the development of the experimental tools necessary to enable such studies.