Flerovium

Flerovium is a synthetic superheavy chemical element with the symbol Fl and atomic number 114. It belongs to Group 14 of the periodic table, the same group as carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead. Unlike its lighter congeners, flerovium does not occur naturally and can only be produced artificially in laboratories through nuclear fusion reactions involving lighter nuclei. Since its discovery in the late 1990s at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia, flerovium has been the subject of considerable scientific interest, primarily because of its proximity to the hypothesised “island of stability” for superheavy elements.

Background and Properties

Flerovium was named after the Russian physicist Georgy Flyorov, who contributed significantly to nuclear physics and the discovery of transuranium elements. Its discovery marked one of the final steps in the creation of new elements in the seventh period of the periodic table.
The element is entirely artificial, created by bombarding plutonium or curium targets with ions such as calcium-48 in particle accelerators. The resulting reaction yields only a few atoms of flerovium at a time, all of which decay within seconds or fractions of a second. The longest-lived isotope currently known, flerovium-289, has a half-life of about 2.6 seconds, while other isotopes decay much faster.
Due to these short half-lives, many of flerovium’s physical and chemical properties remain uncertain. Theoretical studies predict that it might exhibit metallic characteristics but with unusually low reactivity, possibly behaving as a volatile or semi-noble metal. This behaviour arises from relativistic effects, where the inner electrons move close to the speed of light, altering their chemical interactions. It is believed to be one of the most volatile metals known, yet it is too unstable for direct observation in bulk form.

Laboratory Research and Scientific Applications

Flerovium’s principal and indeed only application lies in fundamental scientific research. Each atom created offers valuable information for nuclear physicists and chemists attempting to understand the limits of matter and the structure of atomic nuclei.

• Study of Nuclear Stability: The synthesis of flerovium provides insight into the “island of stability” theory, which predicts that certain combinations of protons and neutrons might produce longer-lived superheavy nuclei. Observing how quickly flerovium decays helps refine these theoretical models and guides the search for elements that may have half-lives long enough to permit more detailed chemical investigations.
• Chemical Behaviour Investigations: Experiments involving adsorption on surfaces such as gold have been conducted to determine whether flerovium behaves more like a metal or a noble gas. These studies, though limited, have suggested that flerovium exhibits metallic bonding but remains extremely volatile. This challenges prior expectations and advances understanding of relativistic effects in the heaviest elements.
• Development of Experimental Techniques: The synthesis and detection of flerovium require ultra-sensitive detection systems and highly controlled conditions. The technologies and methods developed for this work—such as fast gas transport systems, improved particle detectors, and target preparation techniques—have broader applications across nuclear research, radiochemistry, and materials science.

Limitations Preventing Practical Use

Despite its scientific importance, flerovium has no practical, everyday, industrial, or economic applications. Several factors make this impossible under present conditions:

1. Extremely Short Half-Lives: All isotopes decay in a matter of seconds, making it impossible to accumulate or use in any physical process.
2. Tiny Production Quantities: Only a few atoms are produced in each experiment, and they are detected one by one. Scaling up to macroscopic quantities is beyond current technological capability.
3. High Production Cost: The synthesis of even a single atom requires the use of powerful particle accelerators, rare target materials, and extensive laboratory infrastructure, resulting in extraordinary costs.
4. Radiation Hazards: Being radioactive, flerovium and its decay products emit ionising radiation, requiring specialised containment and shielding systems that are impractical outside a research environment.
5. Uncertain Chemistry: The fleeting existence of its atoms prevents the formation of compounds or materials that could be tested for useful physical or chemical properties.

These limitations mean that flerovium cannot be used in manufacturing, medicine, energy production, or any other industrial field.

Indirect Contributions and Economic Significance

Although flerovium itself lacks direct economic value, its synthesis contributes indirectly to several areas of scientific and technological progress:

• Advancement of Nuclear Theory: Each experiment involving flerovium adds to the understanding of how nuclei behave at extremely high atomic numbers, helping refine nuclear shell models and predict the stability of heavier elements yet to be discovered.
• Technological Innovation: The need to detect and identify single atoms has driven the development of high-sensitivity detectors, fast chemical transport systems, and radiation-resistant materials, all of which can benefit other scientific and industrial applications.
• Educational and Scientific Development: Research on elements such as flerovium promotes international scientific collaboration and enhances knowledge in the fields of particle physics and advanced materials science. It also provides training opportunities for researchers working at the frontiers of experimental chemistry and nuclear physics.
• Potential Guidance for Future Elements: Studies of flerovium guide ongoing efforts to synthesise heavier, potentially more stable superheavy elements that might exhibit longer lifetimes and measurable chemical properties. Such elements could, in the distant future, reveal new materials or applications currently beyond imagination.