Berkelium(IV) oxide, also known as berkelium dioxide, is a chemical compound with the formula BkO2. This compound slowly decays to californium(IV) oxide. It can be converted to berkelium(III) oxide by hydrogen reduction at 600 °C.
2BkO2 + H2 → Bk2O3 + H2OProduction
Berkelium(IV) oxide is produced by burning berkelium metal in air at 1200 °C. It can also be produced by reacting berkelium(III) oxide with oxygen at 600 °C.3
References
U.S Atomic Energy Commission. Division of Plans and Reports (1972). Fundamental Nuclear Energy Research. the University of Michigan. p. 100. ↩
Peterson, J. (1967). "Crystal structures and lattice parameters of the compounds of berkelium I. Berkelium dioxide and cubic berkelium sesquioxide". Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry Letters. 3 (9): 327–336. doi:10.1016/0020-1650(67)80037-0. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5mv047vq ↩
Peterson, J. (1967). "Crystal structures and lattice parameters of the compounds of berkelium I. Berkelium dioxide and cubic berkelium sesquioxide". Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry Letters. 3 (9): 327–336. doi:10.1016/0020-1650(67)80037-0. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5mv047vq ↩