Curriculum Vitae Moritz Schmidt

Scientific career

  • Current:
    Head of the department "Chemistry of the f-elements" Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Resource Ecology.
  • 2013 – 2018:
    Helmholtz Young Investigator group leader at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Resource Ecology.
  • 2012 – 2013:
    Research associate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal.
  • 2010 – 2012:
    Research Associate at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division.
  • 11/2009:
    PhD at the University of Heidelberg, Department of Chemistry, “Untersuchungen zum Einbaumechanismus von Actiniden und Lanthaniden in Calcium-haltige Sekundärphasen” (in German).
  • 2006 – 2009:
    PhD student at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal.
  • 2006:
    Diplom (M.Sc.) in Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg

Research experience

  • Actinide chemistry
  • Geochemistry of the actinides in the context of nuclear waste storage
  • Mineral/water interface reactions
  • Structural incorporation of actinides into mineral phases
  • Site-selective time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy with Cm(III) and Eu(III)
  • Surface X-ray diffraction

Newest Publication in the Department

Curium(III) Luminescence Spectroscopy as a Tool for Species Determination

Schmidt, M.; Skerencak, A.; Panak, P. J.; Huittinen, N. M.

Abstract

Curium is an artificial transuranic element with atomic number 96. It is typically found in its +III oxidation state, which is stabilized by a 5f7 electron configuration. CmIII exhibits intense lumi-nescence from its first excited 6D’7/2 to its 8S’7/2 ground state in the red part of the visual spec-trum. Due to the nature of the 5f electron shell, this luminescence is sensitive to changes in the chemical environment of the CmIII probe, while being detectable in the trace concentration range. This unique combination has established CmIII luminescence spectroscopy as an ideal tool for speciation studies in complex systems, particularly those relevant to the nuclear fuel cycle. In this review, we present an overview of the developments and applications of CmIII lumines-cence spectroscopy in the last 20 years since the last comprehensive review was published. The discussed studies have been categorized according to their chemical environment into reactions at the water/mineral interface, studies of solids containing CmIII, aqueous complexation studies, spectroscopy in non-aqueous systems, and interaction of CmIII with biomolecules and biota. These systems correlate in large parts with areas of application in nuclear waste disposal sci-ence, separation processes within current and proposed nuclear fuel cycles, and radioecological research. We summarize the most important findings in the studies, identify emerging trends and persistent challenges in the field of CmIII luminescence spectroscopy. Finally, we offer an outlook on potential future developments and research directions in this area.

Keywords: Curium; Luminescence; TRLFS; Spectroscopy

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-41909

More publications

Grants and Projects

  • Bioinspired polyhydroxamic sequestering agents for the in vivo decorporation of actinides
    (ActiDecorp, ANR/DFG, 04/2024-03/2027)
  • Actinide-metal-bonding at the atomic level
    (Am-BALL, BMUV, 05/2023-04/2026)
  • Investigation of the interactions of f-elements with biologically-relevant structural motives: Determination of structure-effect principles for a mobilization in the environment
    (FENABIUM-II, BMBF, 04/2023-03/2026)
  • Competition and Reversibility of sorption processes
    (KuRSiV, BMUV, 01/2023-06/2026)
  • Spectroscopic characterization of f-Element complexes with soft donor ligands
    (f-Char, BMBF, 10/2020 - 03/2024)
  • Structure effect relations between f-elements and organic ligands with natural-analogue binding modes in regards to a possible mobilization in the environment
    (FENABIUM, BMBF, 10/2016 – 05/2021)
  • Smart-Kd applications for the long term safety assessment of nuclear waste disposal sites
    (SMILE, BMWi, 09/2018 – 02/2022)
  • Helmholtz Young Investigator Group “Structures and reactivity at the aqueous/mineral interface”
    (VH-NG-942, Helmholtz Association, 10/2013 - 09/2018)