Journées des Actinides

Actinides

Actinides are a series of 15 chemical elements in the periodic table, from Actinium (Ac) to Lawrencium (Lr), characterized by the progressive filling of 5f electron orbitals. They include both naturally occurring elements – such as Thorium and Uranium- and synthetic elements produced in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators, such as Plutonium and Americium. Most actinides are radioactive, often with complex oxidation states and rich coordination chemistry, which makes them scientifically fascinating but also challenging to handle. They play crucial roles in nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, environmental science, and national security, while also providing fundamental insights into the behavior of heavy elements and the limits of the periodic table.