TY - JOUR
T1 - Superheavy Element Flerovium (Element 114) Is a Volatile Metal
AU - Yakushev, Alexander
AU - Gates, Jacklyn M.
AU - Tuerler, Andreas
AU - Schaedel, Matthias
AU - Duellmann, Christoph E.
AU - Ackermann, Dieter
AU - Andersson, Lise-Lotte
AU - Block, Michael
AU - Bruechle, Willy
AU - Dvorak, Jan
AU - Eberhardt, Klaus
AU - Essel, Hans G.
AU - Even, Julia
AU - Forsberg, Ulrika
AU - Gorshkov, Alexander
AU - Graeger, Reimar
AU - Gregorich, Kenneth E.
AU - Hartmann, Willi
AU - Herzberg, Rolf-Dietmar
AU - Hessberger, Fritz P.
AU - Hild, Daniel
AU - Huebner, Annett
AU - Jaeger, Egon
AU - Khuyagbaatar, Jadambaa
AU - Kindler, Birgit
AU - Kratz, Jens V.
AU - Krier, Joerg
AU - Kurz, Nikolaus
AU - Lommel, Bettina
AU - Niewisch, Lorenz J.
AU - Nitsche, Heino
AU - Omtvedt, Jon Petter
AU - Parr, Edward
AU - Qin, Zhi
AU - Rudolph, Dirk
AU - Runke, Joerg
AU - Schausten, Brigitta
AU - Schimpf, Erwin
AU - Semchenkov, Andrey
AU - Steiner, Jutta
AU - Thoerle-Pospiech, Petra
AU - Uusitalo, Juha
AU - Wegrzecki, Maciej
AU - Wiehl, Norbert
PY - 2014/2/3
Y1 - 2014/2/3
N2 - The electron shell structure of superheavy elements, i.e., elements with atomic number Z >= 104, is influenced by strong relativistic effects caused by the high Z. Early atomic calculations on element 112 (copernicium, Cn) and element 114 (flerovium, Fl) having closed and quasi-closed electron shell configurations of 6d(10)7s(2) and 6d(10)7s(2)7p(1/2)(2), respectively, predicted them to be noble-gas-like due to very strong relativistic effects on the 7s and 7p(1/2) valence orbitals. Recent fully relativistic calculations studying Cn and Fl in different environments suggest them to be less reactive compared to their lighter homologues in the groups, but still exhibiting a metallic character. Experimental gas solid chromatography studies on Cn have, indeed, revealed a metal-metal bond formation with Au. In contrast to this, for Fl, the formation of a weak bond upon physisorption on a Au surface was inferred from first experiments. Here, we report on a gas solid chromatography study of the adsorption of Fl on a Au surface. Fl was produced in the nuclear fusion reaction (244)pu(Ca-48, 3-4n)(288,289)Fl and was isolated in-flight from the primary Ca-48 beam in a physical recoil separator. The adsorption behavior of Fl, its nuclear alpha-decay product Cn, their lighter homologues in groups 14 and 12, i.e., Pb and Hg, and the noble gas Rn were studied simultaneously by isothermal gas chromatography and thermochromatography. Two Fl atoms were detected. They adsorbed on a Au surface at room temperature in the first, isothermal part, but not as readily as Pb and Hg. The observed adsorption behavior of Fl points to a higher inertness compared to its nearest homologue in the group, Pb. However, the measured lower limit for the adsorption enthalpy of Fl on a Au surface points to the formation of a metal-metal bond of Fl with Au. Fl is the least reactive element in the group, but still a metal.
AB - The electron shell structure of superheavy elements, i.e., elements with atomic number Z >= 104, is influenced by strong relativistic effects caused by the high Z. Early atomic calculations on element 112 (copernicium, Cn) and element 114 (flerovium, Fl) having closed and quasi-closed electron shell configurations of 6d(10)7s(2) and 6d(10)7s(2)7p(1/2)(2), respectively, predicted them to be noble-gas-like due to very strong relativistic effects on the 7s and 7p(1/2) valence orbitals. Recent fully relativistic calculations studying Cn and Fl in different environments suggest them to be less reactive compared to their lighter homologues in the groups, but still exhibiting a metallic character. Experimental gas solid chromatography studies on Cn have, indeed, revealed a metal-metal bond formation with Au. In contrast to this, for Fl, the formation of a weak bond upon physisorption on a Au surface was inferred from first experiments. Here, we report on a gas solid chromatography study of the adsorption of Fl on a Au surface. Fl was produced in the nuclear fusion reaction (244)pu(Ca-48, 3-4n)(288,289)Fl and was isolated in-flight from the primary Ca-48 beam in a physical recoil separator. The adsorption behavior of Fl, its nuclear alpha-decay product Cn, their lighter homologues in groups 14 and 12, i.e., Pb and Hg, and the noble gas Rn were studied simultaneously by isothermal gas chromatography and thermochromatography. Two Fl atoms were detected. They adsorbed on a Au surface at room temperature in the first, isothermal part, but not as readily as Pb and Hg. The observed adsorption behavior of Fl points to a higher inertness compared to its nearest homologue in the group, Pb. However, the measured lower limit for the adsorption enthalpy of Fl on a Au surface points to the formation of a metal-metal bond of Fl with Au. Fl is the least reactive element in the group, but still a metal.
KW - HEAVIEST ELEMENTS
KW - CA-48-INDUCED REACTIONS
KW - ADSORPTION
KW - CHEMISTRY
KW - SURFACES
KW - RADON
KW - MODEL
KW - SEPARATOR
KW - NUMBERS
KW - GASES
U2 - 10.1021/ic4026766
DO - 10.1021/ic4026766
M3 - Article
SN - 0020-1669
VL - 53
SP - 1624
EP - 1629
JO - Inorganic Chemistry
JF - Inorganic Chemistry
IS - 3
ER -