Americium(III) chloride or Americium trichloride is the chemical compound composed of americium and chlorine with the formula AmCl<sub>3</sub>. This Actinide salt forms pink hexagonal crystals. In the solid state each americium atom has nine chlorine atoms as near neighbours, at approximately the same distance, in a tricapped trigonal prismatic configuration.
The hexahydrate has a monocline crystal structure with: a = 970.2 pm, b = 656.7 pm and c = 800.9 pm; ò = 93ð 37'; space group: P2/n.
An americium(III) chloride electrorefining method has been investigated to separate mixtures of actinides, since the standard Gibbs free energy of formation of americium(III) chloride is much different than the rest of the actinide chlorides. This can be used to remove americium from plutonium by melting the crude mixture together with salts such as sodium chloride.
Americium trichloride is a pink salt that can be formed when Americium, reacts with three Chlorine atoms, to make <chem>AmCl3</chem>. A way it can be made is by putting Americium dioxide into Hydrochloric acid. <chem>AmO2 + 4 HCl -> AmCl3 + 2 H2O + Cl</chem>
It is a radioactive salt because Americium, is radioactive as a actinide and is thus toxic. Inhaling or ingesting can have fatal consequences. It melts at 715C as mentioned in this article.
As Americium decays into Neptunium, it Turns into <chem>NpCl3</chem>. The decay chain of Americium-241 into Neptunium Is as follows: <chem>^{241}_{95}Am -> ^{237}_{93}Np + ^{4}_{2}He</chem> It also releases 59.5 keV (kilo electron volts) as a gamma ray.
Americium-241, the most common isotope, does not pose a significant Radiological Hazard unless Inhaled or Ingested, as the alpha particles can cause various cancers. Its gamma radiation creates a significant external dose, so americium is handled in lead-lined gloveboxes.