Jens Volker Kratz

Jens Volker Kratz is a German nuclear chemist renowned for his pioneering experimental work on the heaviest chemical elements. His research has been instrumental in exploring the chemical properties of superheavy elements, particularly those in the transactinide region of the periodic table. Kratz's career is primarily associated with the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt and the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, where his investigations have provided critical insights into relativistic effects on chemical behavior.

Biography

Born in Germany, Kratz pursued his higher education in chemistry at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, where he completed his doctorate under the guidance of prominent figures in the field. His early academic work laid the foundation for a lifelong dedication to nuclear chemistry and the study of exotic atomic nuclei. Following his doctoral studies, he engaged in postdoctoral research that further solidified his expertise in the separation and identification of short-lived radioactive isotopes, leading to his long-term affiliation with major research institutions like the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research.

Scientific career

Kratz's scientific career is deeply intertwined with the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, a leading facility for heavy ion physics and the discovery of new elements like darmstadtium and roentgenium. He holds a professorship at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, where he leads a research group focused on advanced radiochemical techniques. Throughout his tenure, he has collaborated extensively with international teams, including scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to conduct complex experiments on element synthesis and characterization. His leadership has been pivotal in designing sophisticated apparatus for gas-phase chemistry and liquid chromatography studies of superheavy species.

Research and contributions

Kratz's primary research contributions center on experimentally determining the chemical behavior of superheavy elements, such as bohrium, hassium, and copernicium. His work has tested predictions from relativistic quantum chemistry regarding the influence of Einstein's theory of special relativity on electron orbitals and, consequently, an element's reactivity and position in the periodic table. He developed innovative fast chemical separation methods to study these elements, which often have half-lives of only seconds, using facilities like the UNILAC accelerator at GSI. This research has resolved fundamental questions about whether these elements behave like their lighter homologues, such as platinum or mercury, or exhibit unique properties due to relativistic effects.

Awards and honors

In recognition of his groundbreaking work, Kratz was awarded the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize in 1997 by the German Research Foundation, one of the highest honors in German science. This prize acknowledged his decisive role in establishing the field of experimental superheavy element chemistry. His research has also been supported by major grants from organizations like the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany) and the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. Furthermore, his contributions are regularly cited in seminal reviews by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry concerning the discovery and properties of new elements.

Selected publications

Kratz's extensive body of work is documented in numerous peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals. Key publications include studies on the volatility of copernicium published in Pure and Applied Chemistry, detailed investigations of hassium oxide chemistry in Nature, and comprehensive reviews on the chemical properties of the transactinide elements in Radiochimica Acta. His collaborative papers often feature co-authors from institutions like the Paul Scherrer Institute and the University of Bern, reflecting the international scope of his research on the frontier of the periodic table.

Category:German chemists Category:Nuclear chemists Category:Living people