Polonium monoxide (also known as polonium(II) oxide) is a chemical compound with the formula . It is one of three
oxide
An oxide () is a chemical compound containing at least one oxygen atom and one other element in its chemical formula. "Oxide" itself is the dianion (anion bearing a net charge of −2) of oxygen, an O2− ion with oxygen in the oxidation st ...
s of
polonium
Polonium is a chemical element; it has symbol Po and atomic number 84. A rare and highly radioactive metal (although sometimes classified as a metalloid) with no stable isotopes, polonium is a chalcogen and chemically similar to selenium and tel ...
, the other two being
polonium dioxide () and
polonium trioxide (). It is an
interchalcogen.
Appearance and preparation
Polonium monoxide is a black solid. It is formed during the
radiolysis
Radiolysis is the dissociation of molecules by ionizing radiation. It is the cleavage of one or several chemical bonds resulting from exposure to high-energy flux. The radiation in this context is associated with ionizing radiation; radiolysis is ...
of
polonium sulfite () and
polonium selenite ().
Chemistry
On contact with oxygen or water, both polonium monoxide and its related hydroxide (
polonium(II) hydroxide, ) are oxidized quickly to
.
References
{{Polonium compounds
Polonium compounds
Oxides
Interchalcogens