New Method for Discovering Superheavy Elements
Scientists at the Berkeley National Laboratory in California have developed a groundbreaking method to discover and create superheavy elements. By firing beams of charged ions at heavy element atoms, researchers aim to add new elements to the periodic table, potentially expanding it beyond the current 118 elements, which range from hydrogen to oganesson.
The Island of Stability
Theoretical discussions among scientists suggest the possibility of adding two new elements: element 119, known as “uninium,” and element 120, referred to as “unbinilium.” These elements are believed to exist within the so-called “island of stability,” a concept in nuclear physics that indicates certain atomic nuclei may have a stable configuration of protons and neutrons, making them less prone to decay. Unlike other elements that decay almost instantaneously, those within this island could remain stable for extended periods, potentially leading to new materials with applications in energy production and medicine.
Advancements in Heavy Element Manufacturing
Recent studies published in the journal Physical Review Letters highlight the successful creation of livermorium (element 116) using a novel method. This involved bombarding plutonium-244 with charged titanium ions at the Cyclotron particle accelerator, a process that took 22 days and resulted in the formation of just two livermorium atoms. Lead researcher Jacqueline Gates emphasized the significance of this experiment, stating that it validates the feasibility of using similar techniques to pursue the creation of element 120. However, researchers anticipate that discovering unbinilium could take significantly longer than previous experiments, potentially up to ten times as long.
