Nuclear and Radiochemistry: the First 100 Years

Abstract

This chapter gives a brief overview of the development of nuclear and radiochemistry from Mme. Curie’s chemical isolation of radium toward the end of the twentieth century. The first four sections deal with fairly distinct time periods: (1) the pioneering years when the only radioactive materials available were the naturally occurring ones; (2) the decade of rapid growth and expansion of both the fundamental science and its applications following the discoveries of the neutron and artificial radioactivity; (3) the World War II period characterized by the intense exploration of nuclear fission and its ramifications; (4) what can be called the “golden era” – the 3 to 4 decades following World War II when nuclear science was generously supported and therefore flourished. In the final section, research trends pursued near the end of the century are briefly touched upon.