Scientists Take a Step Toward Creating a ‘Superheavy’ Element That Could Add a New Row to the Periodic Table

Researchers have advanced closer to creating “element 120,” a superheavy element so massive it would require a new row on the periodic table. This discovery involves a technique where supercharged ion beams are directed at dense atoms, with the goal of synthesizing this hypothetical element. While the periodic table currently lists 118 known elements, scientists predict that even heavier elements exist. Element 120, along with element 119, could belong to an eighth row of the table. Though no attempts have yet succeeded, researchers believe the new method could make it possible to create these elements, particularly “unbinilium.” The technique demonstrated with livermorium (element 116) suggests that with further refinement, unbinilium may soon be within reach, offering potential insights into the “island of stability” where superheavy elements could remain stable longer. However, the process could take years to succeed, and researchers remain cautious about the unpredictable behavior of these elements.

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the quest to create a “superheavy” element, potentially named element 120, which would be so massive that it would necessitate the addition of a new row on the periodic table. This discovery could reshape our understanding of chemistry and atomic physics, opening the door to a new era of scientific exploration.

The technique developed by the scientists involves firing supercharged ion beams at dense atoms. This approach has already been successfully demonstrated with the creation of livermorium (element 116). Now, the same method is being considered for the creation of element 120, also known as unbinilium. If successful, element 120 would join elements like ununennium (element 119) in an entirely new eighth row of the periodic table. Currently, the periodic table contains 118 elements, ranging from hydrogen (with one proton) to oganesson (element 118), which has 118 protons and at least 176 neutrons. These newly theorized elements are so large that they wouldn’t fit into any of the existing seven rows.

Although no one has yet been able to synthesize these superheavy elements, researchers are optimistic that this new technique could make their creation possible. The method involves bombarding isotopes of californium with vaporized ions of titanium. This step builds on a successful demonstration in which researchers used a similar process to create livermorium by bombarding plutonium-244 with titanium ions at Berkeley Lab’s 88-Inch Cyclotron machine.

The study, published in Physical Review Letters on October 21, 2024, outlines the researchers’ approach and presents it as a promising path forward in the search for unbinilium. According to lead author Jacklyn Gates, a nuclear scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this new reaction had never been demonstrated before, making it essential to prove its feasibility before embarking on the creation of element 120. The team believes that the same method used for livermorium could be adapted for unbinilium, a step that could bring them closer to discovering the long-hypothesized “island of stability.”

Superheavy elements like unbinilium are predicted to exist but have never been seen. These elements, while theoretically plausible, are unstable and decay rapidly once formed. However, researchers believe that once elements reach a certain size, they may reach a stable “island” where they remain intact for much longer periods. If unbinilium does reach this stability, it would revolutionize heavy-element chemistry and offer new insights into atomic structure and behavior.

While this breakthrough offers exciting possibilities, creating element 120 may take years. In the study, it took over 22 days for researchers to create just two atoms of livermorium, and they anticipate that it will take at least ten times longer to produce element 120. Despite these challenges, the team remains confident that the creation of unbinilium is achievable. “It’s not easy, but it seems feasible now,” said study co-author Reiner Kruecken, a nuclear scientist at Berkeley Lab.

The process of creating superheavy elements pushes the boundaries of human knowledge and technology. There is no guarantee that these elements will behave exactly as scientists predict, and the hunt for them remains a complex and uncertain challenge. However, the potential discovery of element 120 represents a major leap forward in the field of nuclear chemistry and physics. As scientists continue to experiment with new techniques, the creation of these mysterious, massive elements may soon move from the realm of theory to reality.

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