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Quest for Element 120: Expanding the Periodic Table with Titanium
The ongoing exploration of the periodic table may soon lead to the addition of a new element, specifically element 120. This ambitious goal is underpinned by recent research that proposes generating this unseen element through a collision of charged titanium ions with a target made of californium.
In a groundbreaking experiment, scientists successfully produced livermorium (element 116) using titanium ions for the first time. This involved directing a beam of titanium onto a plutonium target, ultimately resulting in the creation of two livermorium atoms after a rigorous search lasting 22 days. The report detailing these findings was shared at the Nuclear Structure 2024 conference held in Lemont, Illinois, on July 23. Researchers speculate that reproducing this success to create element 120 will be possible, although a similar experiment could take up to ten times longer than the one for livermorium.
Currently, the periodic table comprises 118 identified chemical elements, with the five heaviest among them produced utilizing calcium-48 beams—a variant of calcium containing 28 neutrons. The process to produce these heavy elements has involved varying the target element, where a heavier nucleus leads to far-reaching discoveries on the periodic table. However, as noted by nuclear scientist Jacklyn Gates from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this method faces limitations. The prospective targets for new elements are increasingly radioactive and exist only fleetingly, making them challenging for research purposes.
Consequently, scientists are pivoting to titanium-50 beams, which they believe will facilitate the search for new elements using more stable and accessible targets. For instance, the target material needed for the pursuit of element 120 is less complex than that required for element 119, allowing researchers to bypass this step. Gates emphasizes the necessity of innovative methods, stating, “If you want to push above what we currently know on the periodic table, you need to find a new way of making heavy elements.” This shift could herald new chapters in the study of chemical elements.
With a deeper understanding of what it takes to incorporate a new element into the periodic table, scientists are poised to unravel more mysteries of atomic structure and push the boundaries of scientific knowledge.
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