Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science
Self-introduction: Hello! My name is Enni Khult. I study at Osaka University since September 2023 and conduct my research at Kasamatsu Laboratory (Laboratory for Radiochemistry). I am passionate about radiochemistry research, which I have been doing for five years now, including the four years at Moscow State University Radiochemistry Division. I am keen on learning new things and studying languages. In my free time I like to go out and travel. I am also a part of a “Science Buddy” group, where we support international students and promote international exchange at the School of Science/Graduate School of Science. There I take a role of a president and an English tutor. Nice to meet you!
Research topic: Solid-liquid extraction of group 2 elements using DGA-resin, supported by quantum chemical calculations, towards chemical research of the heavy element 102, nobelium (No). No is an actinide with unique chemical properties. No exhibits +2 oxidation state in aqueous solutions and similar behavior to that of group 2 elements, with an ionic radius between Ca2+ and Sr2+. However, No may have a softer acidic nature, contrasting with the hard acid characteristics of group 2 metal ions. Further research is needed to understand the chemical properties of No, which could be influenced by relativistic effects. For systematic chemical study of No, we propose extraction with diglycolamide (DGA) ligands, because they allow various structural modifications to tune extraction properties. Towards chemical research of No, I study solid-liquid extraction of group 2 elements from acidic solutions by DGA-resin and perform quantum chemical calculations of the extracted M(II)-DGA complex species to support and validate the extraction results.