Californium(III) carbonate is a synthetic, highly radioactive inorganic chemical compound composed of californium and carbonate with the chemical formula .
Properties Californium(III) carbonate features californium in its dominant +3 oxidation state. Similar to other trivalent actinide and lanthanide carbonates, neutral californium(III) carbonate is sparingly soluble in aqueous solutions. In the presence of excess carbonate or bicarbonate ions, it forms soluble anionic carbonate coordination complexes.
Because all californium isotopes are intensely radioactive, solid compounds and solutions of californium(III) carbonate experience significant self-heating and radiolytic breakdown.
Preparation
Californium(III) carbonate can be synthesized by reacting aqueous trivalent californium salts with soluble alkali metal carbonates or ammonium carbonate in aqueous solution under controlled inert atmosphere.
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