Nuclear and radiochemistry applications in chemistry utilize nuclear decay probes to provide insights into a wide range of areas: in medicine via the development of new radio-pharmaceuticals for imaging and of alternate approaches to the production of radioisotopes for medical diagnostics; in catalytic processes via the study of muon spin-labeled free radicals in heterogeneous catalysts and via the utility of beta-decay probes of thin films and interfaces by novel NMR techniques; in probing new magnetic and superconducting materials by both muon spin rotation (μSR) and beta-decay NMR techniques; in chemical kinetics by leveraging massive isotopic mass effects using muon beams; and in chemical physics and spectroscopy using laser-pumping techniques to select specific initial states as precursors for studies of reaction rates and spin-exchange interactions (“spintronics”). The TRIUMF facility on campus provides us with unsurpassed opportunities in these areas.
