Physicists may now have a way to make element 120
Physicists are developing new titanium-ion beam techniques to synthesize element 120, a superheavy atom beyond the current end of the periodic table. Commenters explore why creating such ultra-short-lived elements still matters: they serve as crucial tests of nuclear physics models, probe the hypothesized “island of stability,” and refine our understanding of the strong force and limits of atomic structure. The exchange also branches into broader questions about how far the periodic table can extend, the role of neutron stars in forming heavy elements, and why practical applications are unlikely for these man‑made atoms.
Element 120 and Naming
- Element 120 currently has the systematic placeholder name unbinilium (“one-two-zero-ium”) and will be renamed if confirmed.
- It would sit under radium; some prefer “eka-radium”–style naming that encodes periodic position.
- Discussion of IUPAC’s conservative naming process; “fun” fictional names are seen as unlikely.
- One comment notes element 121 would enter a new “g-block” region of the periodic table.
Experimental Method and Technical Challenges
- The discussed approach: accelerate titanium ions to ~0.1c and collide them with a plutonium target.
- This has already produced a few atoms of livermorium as a benchmark.
- Main difficulty: compound nuclei are created “hot” and tend to break apart; lowering beam energy helps survival but cuts fusion rates.
- Producing and accelerating titanium beams is itself hard: vaporizing or ion-sourcing Ti at high purity and temperature is a major materials-science challenge.
Stability, Island of Stability, and Nuclear Structure
- Oganesson (118) is the heaviest confirmed element; only a handful of atoms have been made.
- An “island of stability” is predicted around the low 110s, potentially giving half-lives up to seconds or longer, but models have lost confidence as data increased.
- Even proton/neutron numbers tend to be more stable; several even-Z elements were discovered before neighboring odd-Z ones.
- Binding-energy arguments suggest stability broadly peaks near iron; heavier nuclei rely on special “magic numbers” and quickly become more unstable.
Scientific Value vs. “What’s the Point?”
- Enthusiasts see this as:
- A critical testbed for nuclear-structure theory and the strong force.
- Input to understanding early-universe and neutron-star nucleosynthesis.
- Possible path to longer-lived superheavy isotopes with future applications (e.g., medical).
- Others are skeptical given millisecond lifetimes and atom-scale yields, comparing it to “playing with expensive toys” and noting national prestige and competition as drivers.
Limits of the Periodic Table and Extreme Matter
- Debate over whether the periodic table is “infinite” centers on definitions: existence requires nuclei that live long enough (~10⁻¹⁴ s) to form an electron cloud.
- Arguments highlight: growing proton repulsion vs short-range strong force; eventual unbinding to proton/neutron emission; relativistic electron effects at very high Z.
- Some invoke gravity and neutron stars; others counter that gravitational effects are irrelevant at nuclear scales, though neutron stars can be viewed (loosely) as giant nuclear systems, not atoms, and do not support chemistry.