Berkeley Lab Creates Berkelocene: A Molecule for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have successfully synthesized berkelocene, a novel molecule with potential applications in nuclear waste disposal. The team, led by Dominic Russo and Stefan Minasian, combined berkelium, one of the rarest synthetic elements, with an organic molecule in a chemical glove box. The resulting dark violet solution signaled the creation of something new. The discovery, published in *Science* in February, challenges existing theories about carbon bonds with heavy-metal elements. Berkelocene features a unique "sandwich" structure, with a berkelium atom nestled between two carbon rings. This symmetrical geometry is crucial for understanding how elements organize themselves, according to Minasian. Berkelium, discovered in Berkeley in 1949, is highly radioactive and air-sensitive, making it difficult to work with. The experiment used just 0.3 micrograms of the element. While not a direct solution for nuclear waste elimination, berkelocene could provide a foundation for future advancements in safe disposal methods. Polly Arnold emphasized that understanding berkelium's properties, which deviate from predictions based on its position in the periodic table, is a step toward more accurate theoretical models for long-term nuclear waste storage.