Hunt for super heavy elements 119 and 120

In 2013, those who are interested will be able to watch the fierce horse race between science 'knights' from Dubna centers (Russia-USA), GSI (Germany) and RIKEN (Japan) to conquer 'durable' islands of chemical elements.

>>>Japan found the 113th chemical element

The periodic table of chemical elements (BTHT) entered in 2013 has occupied 118 cells, of which 114 boxes or 114 elements have official names. The lightest element (1st box) is called Hydro or Hydrogenium and the heaviest element is called Lawrencium (cell 116).

The remaining 4 elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 are waiting for the invention and 'certificate' to be officially named. But, heavy element researchers did not sit and wait. Some research centers are rushing to hunt for new heavier elements, they are eager to find ways to prolong the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements.

The immediate object will be two new unknowns: hidden number 119 (ie the nucleus has the atomic number or the charge number Z = 119) and hidden number 120 (ie the nucleus has the atomic number or the charge number Z = 120) . This choice is scientifically based.

Picture 1 of Hunt for super heavy elements 119 and 120
Illustrative images of research, synthesis and examination
breaking down the existence of "durable islands" of chemical elements.

First of all, from the measured empirical data while synthesizing lighter elements such as 118, 117, 116, 115, 114 and so on, it is possible to hope for the ability to synthesize the nuclei of heavy elements. more, adjacent, like 119, 120 .

On the other hand, from calculations based on atomic structural problems, it is easy to visualize element 118 with an outer electron shell configuration that fills similar inert gas elements including helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radon. So element 119 is expected to exist as a typical alkali metal. Similar reasoning, element 120 is a typical earth element.

So all three of the world's most powerful research centers today in the field of super-heavy elements are 'out.'

Dubna-Livermore

The Russian-American coordinating army still consists of experienced researchers from two laboratories from Dubna and Livermore. Livermore offers 'toxic' beer leaves made of super rare and expensive artificial uranium elements, and Dubna has 'exclusive' devices with large U-400 accelerators and fast-sensitive chemical identification techniques. .

Former Director of the FLNR Laboratory, Academician Iuri Oganesian gave a time to 'fire up': The 119 super heavy element synthesis experiment could be started in 2013. The current Director, Sergei Dmitriyev, also "We are planning the first experiment to synthesize element 119 with US colleagues from the Livermore and Berkeley labs," the statement told the press .

This Russian-American crew were all super-heavy element inventors who had won great victories. The Russians are the inventors of six new elements, and the Americans are more brilliant than the number of new primes. Do not know if in the upcoming race they will be "short of breath" before the young rivals in Germany and Japan?

German power from Darmstad

Picture 2 of Hunt for super heavy elements 119 and 120
GSI Heavy Ion Research Center (Darmstad city, Germany) viewed from outside. It invented new elements: Bohrium 107, Hassium 108, Meitnerium 109, Darmstadium 110, Roentgenium and Copernicium 112. (Photo: Tran Thanh Minh)

Scientists at the GSI Heavy Ion Research Center (Darmstad, Germany) recently quietly looked to see if any of the 120 nucleus signs appeared in their experiments.

In the near future, on their accelerator, they plan to synthesize new nuclei 119 by firing the Titanium beam (Z = 22) on Berkelium beer (Z = 97). And to synthesize element 120, they intend to use the reaction to fire a beam of nickel (Z = 28, A = 64) on Uranium beer (Z = 92, A = 238).

With a feat that has invented a series of new elements such as Bohrium 107, Hassium 108, Meitnerium 109, Darmstadium 110, Roentgenium and most recently Copernicium 112, scientists at the GSI Center must also hope to have names in the releases. proving the new element 119, 120 .

Asian aspiration at RIKEN

The RIKEN Institute, backed by the Japanese Government, did not ignore the goal of synthesizing elements 119 and 120.

They plan to use a "bullet" of Vanadium (Z = 23) to fire Curium beer (Z = 96) to synthesize it into a nucleus 119. At the same time, use the beam of 'bullets' Chromium (Z = 24) into Curium beer ( Z = 96) to synthesize into nucleus 120.

The weakness of the fusion reaction in RIKEN's experiment is the probability that new particles will be recorded too small. For example, in the previous experiment that lasted 553 days, only 3 nuclei of 113 were recorded. Therefore, they improved the GARIS ion separation unit to increase the efficiency of selecting and recording super heavy nuclei among reaction products.

Japanese scientists have released the latest results on the new element 113, which is eager to hunt and discover the mysteries 119 and 120 with the desire to soon become the first Asian country to step in. ' Club ' invent the super-heavy element in the world.

In 2013, those who are interested will be able to see the fierce horse race between scientists 'knights' from Dubna centers (Russia-USA), GSI (Germany) and RIKEN (Japan) to conquer Restoring the 'durable' island area of ​​the Periodic Table of Elements.

And the front is clear: 119 and 120 unknowns, elements that do not exist in nature and have never been discovered.