Unbihexium could have a half-life of millions of years?

In summary, the article discusses the current state of research and discoveries in the field of superheavy elements, specifically elements beyond 118 on the periodic table. While there have been some progress in producing these elements, the high cost and limited abundance of their precursors make it difficult to conduct further research and applications.
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  • #2
Seems too early to tell.
 
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  • #3
swampwiz said:
This article seems to say that the range of estimates go this high. This could be something that would actually stay around long enough to be of some use.

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news...e-next-row-of-the-periodic-table/9400.article
Note that the cited article was published in January 2016 (and it reflects state of the art as of 2015), so it's at least 5 years old, and there has been no discoveries.

A more recent article from 2018 gives some overview/insight into the discoveries up through oganesson (Z = 118) and prospects for heavier nuclei.
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/pac-2018-0918/html
 
  • #4
A long lifetime can't be ruled out but it doesn't look particularly likely.

A few nuclei of oganesson (118) have been produced in weeks of accelerator runs. The cross section for element 120 should be even smaller. What's the possible application for a few long-living nuclei?
 
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  • #5
mfb said:
A long lifetime can't be ruled out but it doesn't look particularly likely.

A few nuclei of oganesson (118) have been produced in weeks of accelerator runs. The cross section for element 120 should be even smaller. What's the possible application for a few long-living nuclei?
Indeed. Only a few atoms of oganesson have been produced and at great expense.

https://www.webelements.com/oganesson/history.html

The precursors are quite expensive themselves.

48Ca has a limited abundance of 0.187% and must be separated from the natural element, hence the high cost, as well as the high cost of the target, 249Cf.

86Kr has an abundance of 17.28%, and a slight majority of natural Pb is 208Pb.
 

Related to Unbihexium could have a half-life of millions of years?

1. What is Unbihexium?

Unbihexium is a hypothetical chemical element that has not yet been discovered or synthesized. It is predicted to have an atomic number of 126 and is often referred to as element 126 or eka-plutonium.

2. How long is the half-life of Unbihexium?

The half-life of Unbihexium is currently unknown as it has not been observed or studied. However, some theoretical calculations suggest that it could have a half-life of millions of years.

3. What does a long half-life mean for Unbihexium?

A long half-life means that Unbihexium would decay at a very slow rate, taking millions of years for half of its atoms to decay. This would make it a relatively stable and long-lasting element.

4. What factors affect the half-life of Unbihexium?

The half-life of Unbihexium would be affected by its nuclear properties, such as its mass, nuclear spin, and nuclear shape. These factors can influence the stability of the element and how quickly it decays.

5. Why is Unbihexium's half-life important?

The half-life of Unbihexium is important because it can provide valuable information about the element's stability and potential uses. A long half-life could make it a useful element for various applications, while a short half-life could limit its practicality.

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