Element 113 (Nihonium): Properties, Discovery & Applications
Element 113 on the periodic table is Nihonium (Nh), a synthetic superheavy element discovered by Japanese scientists in 2004-2012. It was officially named in 2016 after Japan ("Nihon" in Japanese). As a highly unstable radioactive element, Nihonium has only been produced in laboratory settings, with just a few atoms ever created. It belongs to group 13 of the periodic table and is expected to be a post-transition metal with properties similar to thallium, though most of its characteristics remain theoretical.
Fundamental Properties of Nihonium (Element 113)
Nihonium (Nh) is element 113 on the periodic table, one of the most recently discovered elements. As a superheavy synthetic element, many of its properties remain theoretical since only a few atoms have ever been produced.
Nihonium
- Symbol: Nh
- Atomic Number: 113
- Atomic Weight: [286] (mass of most stable known isotope)
- Group: 13 (Boron group)
- Period: 7
- Block: p-block
- Element Category: Post-transition metal (predicted)
- Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p¹
- Discovery: RIKEN (Japan), 2004-2012
Physical Properties
Due to its extreme rarity and instability, many of Nihonium's physical properties can only be predicted based on trends in the periodic table:
- State at Room Temperature: Predicted to be a solid
- Melting Point: Approximately 700°C (1292°F) (theoretical)
- Boiling Point: Approximately 1400°C (2552°F) (theoretical)
- Density: 16 g/cm³ (theoretical)
- Appearance: Likely a silvery or metallic solid (never observed macroscopically)
Nuclear Properties
- Most Stable Isotope: Nihonium-286
- Half-life of Nh-286: Approximately 20 seconds
- Decay Mode: Alpha decay (emitting an alpha particle to become element 111, roentgenium)
- Known Isotopes: Nihonium-284, Nihonium-285, Nihonium-286, Nihonium-287
Discovery and Naming of Element 113
The discovery of element 113 marks a significant achievement in nuclear science and represents the first element discovered and named by scientists from an Asian country.
The Discovery Process
The discovery of element 113 involved years of painstaking experiments and confirmation:
RIKEN team in Japan, led by Dr. Kosuke Morita, begins experiments attempting to synthesize element 113
First observation at RIKEN of what might be element 113, created by bombarding bismuth-209 with zinc-70 ions
A second decay chain potentially attributable to element 113 is observed
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Russia) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA) claim synthesis of element 113 through different methods
RIKEN team confirms their discovery with a third event that produces the most complete decay chain, providing definitive evidence
IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) officially recognizes RIKEN's claim to discovering element 113 and grants them naming rights
RIKEN team proposes the name "nihonium" with the symbol "Nh"
IUPAC formally approves the name nihonium and symbol Nh for element 113
The Naming Story
The name "nihonium" has significant cultural and historical importance:
- Derived from "Nihon" (日本), the Japanese word for Japan
- First element to be discovered and named by scientists from an Asian country
- Recognized as a point of national pride in Japan
- Follows the tradition of naming elements after places (like germanium, americium, californium)
- Element 113's discovery came after nearly a decade of research at RIKEN
"For our next challenge, we plan to look to the uncharted territory of element 119 and beyond, aiming to discover a new element that has never been seen before."
— Dr. Kosuke Morita, leader of the research group at RIKEN
Synthesis and Production of Nihonium
Creating element 113 is an extraordinary scientific achievement requiring specialized equipment and techniques.
Synthesis Method
The Japanese team at RIKEN synthesized nihonium using the following nuclear fusion reaction:
²⁰⁹Bi + ⁷⁰Zn → ²⁷⁸Nh + 1n
(Bismuth-209 + Zinc-70 → Nihonium-278 + 1 neutron)
This "cold fusion" approach involves:
- Accelerating zinc ions to approximately 10% of the speed of light
- Directing these ions at a bismuth target
- The nuclei fuse in an extraordinarily rare event (probability less than one in a quintillion)
- The resulting nihonium atom exists for just fractions of a second before decaying
- Sophisticated detectors record the decay chain to confirm the element's production
Extreme Rarity
To appreciate how difficult nihonium is to create, consider this: During years of experiments, scientists produced only 3-4 atoms of element 113. These atoms existed for seconds before decaying. The amount of nihonium ever created is so small that it would be invisible to the naked eye even if all atoms ever created could be collected together.
Detection and Confirmation
Since element 113 decays so quickly, scientists don't "see" it directly but instead detect its decay pattern:
- Nihonium undergoes alpha decay (emitting helium nuclei)
- Each decay produces another, lighter element
- The sequence of these decays creates a "fingerprint" unique to nihonium
- Sophisticated detector arrays record the energy and timing of these emissions
- The complete decay chain provides conclusive evidence of the element's creation
Nihonium in the Periodic Table
Element 113 occupies a specific place in the periodic table that helps predict its chemical behavior.
Position and Classification
- Group 13 (formerly IIIA): The boron group, which includes boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), and thallium (Tl)
- Period 7: The bottommost row of the standard periodic table, containing the heaviest known elements
- p-Block: Elements whose valence electrons are in p orbitals
- Post-transition metal (predicted): Expected to have properties between metals and metalloids
Predicted Chemical Behavior
Based on its position, nihonium is expected to show certain chemical traits:
- Valence electron configuration: 7s² 7p¹ (one electron in its outermost p orbital)
- Likely to form compounds with an oxidation state of +1 or +3
- Predicted to behave more like thallium than the lighter members of group 13
- May exhibit the "inert pair effect," where the 7s² electrons resist participation in chemical bonding
- Expected to be less reactive than lighter group 13 elements due to relativistic effects
Group 13 Trends
How nihonium compares to other elements in its group (theoretical predictions):
| Property | Boron (B) | Aluminum (Al) | Gallium (Ga) | Indium (In) | Thallium (Tl) | Nihonium (Nh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 5 | 13 | 31 | 49 | 81 | 113 |
| Metallic Character | Metalloid | Metal | Metal | Metal | Metal | Metal (predicted) |
| Common Oxidation States | +3 | +3 | +3 | +3, +1 | +1, +3 | +1 (predicted) |
| Melting Point (°C) | 2076 | 660 | 29.8 | 156.6 | 304 | ~700 (predicted) |
| Electronegativity | 2.04 | 1.61 | 1.81 | 1.78 | 2.04 | ~1.8 (predicted) |
Relativistic effects, which become more pronounced with heavier elements, are expected to significantly influence nihonium's properties, potentially causing it to deviate from expected group trends.
Scientific Significance and Potential Applications
While nihonium has no current practical applications due to its extreme rarity and instability, its discovery has significant scientific importance.
Scientific Importance
- Testing Nuclear Models: Helps validate theoretical models of nuclear stability and structure
- Island of Stability: Contributes to research on a hypothesized region of superheavy elements with greater stability
- Relativistic Effects: Provides insights into how relativistic effects influence electron behavior in extremely heavy atoms
- Periodic Table Expansion: Fills a gap in our understanding of chemical element systematics
- Advanced Detection Methods: Its discovery has driven innovations in particle detection technology
Theoretical Future Applications
If more stable isotopes of nihonium could ever be produced (currently theoretical), potential applications might include:
Advanced Nuclear Research
More stable isotopes could serve as starting materials for creating other superheavy elements
Medical Imaging Advances
If isotopes with appropriate decay properties could be synthesized, they might theoretically provide new radiopharmaceutical options
Exotic Materials Science
Understanding nihonium's properties could inspire development of new materials that mimic its theoretical characteristics
Condensed Matter Physics
Studying nihonium's electronic structure could provide insights into exotic electronic states in materials
Important Note
It's crucial to understand that practical applications of nihonium remain entirely theoretical and speculative. Current scientific capabilities cannot produce nihonium in quantities sufficient for applications, and its extreme instability makes practical use impossible with present technology. The element's primary value is in expanding our fundamental understanding of nuclear physics and chemistry.
Cultural Impact of Nihonium's Discovery
Beyond its scientific significance, the discovery and naming of element 113 had notable cultural impacts, particularly in Japan.
National Pride and Scientific Achievement
- Nihonium's discovery represented the first element discovered in Asia
- It demonstrated Japan's advanced capabilities in nuclear science
- The discovery received extensive media coverage in Japan
- The naming was celebrated as a national achievement
- RIKEN experienced increased public recognition and support
Educational Impact
The discovery has influenced science education and public interest:
- Updated chemistry textbooks and periodic tables worldwide
- Sparked increased interest in nuclear science among students
- Used as an example of modern scientific discovery in education
- Inspired educational programs about the periodic table
- Demonstrated the ongoing nature of scientific discovery
Recognition and Commemoration
Various forms of recognition have followed the discovery:
- Dr. Kosuke Morita and his team received numerous scientific awards
- Commemorative stamps featuring nihonium were issued in several countries
- Museums have created exhibits about the discovery
- The symbol Nh is now permanently part of the universal language of chemistry
Frequently Asked Questions
How many atoms of nihonium (element 113) have ever been created?
Only about 3-4 atoms of nihonium have ever been confirmed to exist, all created in laboratory settings. The RIKEN team in Japan detected three atoms between 2004 and 2012 during their experiments that led to the official discovery. Due to the extreme difficulty of synthesis and the element's very short half-life, nihonium remains one of the rarest elements ever produced by humans.
Why is nihonium significant if it's so unstable and rare?
Nihonium's significance lies primarily in advancing our scientific understanding rather than practical applications. Its discovery tests our theoretical models of nuclear physics, helps map the boundaries of the periodic table, provides insights into the effects of relativistic physics on electron behavior, and contributes to our knowledge about nuclear stability. Each new element helps complete the picture of how matter is organized at the fundamental level.
Could nihonium ever occur naturally?
Nihonium is not known to occur naturally on Earth. Its most stable known isotope (nihonium-286) has a half-life of only about 20 seconds, far too short for the element to persist since Earth's formation. However, some scientists speculate that superheavy elements like nihonium might be created in extreme cosmic events like neutron star mergers or supernovae, though detecting such transient occurrences would be extremely challenging. For all practical purposes, nihonium is considered a purely synthetic element.
How does element 113 compare to other recently discovered elements?
Element 113 (nihonium) is part of a group of superheavy elements discovered in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Compared to its neighbors (flerovium, moscovium, livermorium, tennessine, and oganesson), nihonium is notably significant as the first element discovered in an Asian country. From a scientific perspective, it's similar to these other superheavy elements in being extremely unstable and produced in quantities of just a few atoms. Unlike some other recently discovered elements, nihonium was created using the "cold fusion" approach rather than the "hot fusion" method used for several other superheavy elements.
What's next after the discovery of nihonium?
Following nihonium's discovery, scientific teams worldwide are working to synthesize and confirm elements beyond the current periodic table. Elements 119 and 120 are primary targets, which would start the eighth row of the periodic table. Some researchers, including Dr. Morita's team at RIKEN, are also searching for more stable isotopes of known superheavy elements or attempting to better characterize the chemical properties of elements like nihonium. The search continues for the theoretical "island of stability" - a region of superheavy elements that might have significantly longer half-lives due to certain arrangements of protons and neutrons.