Ununoctium is

the
temporary IUPAC name for
the transactinide
element with the atomic number 118 and temporary element symbol Uuo.
It is also known as eka-radon or element 118, and on the periodic table of
the elements it is a p-block element and the last one of the 7th period.
Ununoctium is currently the only synthetic member of group 18. It has the
highest atomic number and highest atomic mass of all the elements
discovered so far.
The radioactive ununoctium atom is very unstable, due to its high mass,
and since 2005, only three or possibly four atoms of the
isotope 294Uuo have been detected. While this allowed for very little
experimental characterization of its properties and possible compounds,
theoretical calculations have resulted in many predictions, including some
unexpected ones. For example, although ununoctium is a member of
Group 18, it may possibly not be a noble gas, unlike all the other Group 18
elements. It was formerly thought to be a gas but is now predicted to be
a solid under normal conditions due to relativistic effects.
Ununoctium
118Uuo

Rn

Uuo

(Usb)
ununseptium ununoctium ununennium
Ununoctium in the periodic table
Appearance
unknown
General properties
Name,symbol,number ununoctium, Uuo, 118

Pronunciation

Element category

Group, period,block

/un.unktim/
oon-oon-OK-tee-m
unknown
but probably a noble gas
18 (noble gases), 7, p

Standard atomic weight [294]

Electron configuration [Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2 7p6
(predicted)
2, 8, 18, 32, 32, 18, 8 (predicted)
Physical properties
Phase

solid (predicted)

Liquid densityat m.p. 4.95.1 (predicted) gcm3

Boiling point

(extrapolated) 35030 K, 8030 C,

17050 F

Critical point

(extrapolated) 439 K, 6.8MPa

Heat of fusion

(extrapolated) 23.5kJmol1

Heat of vaporization

(extrapolated) 19.4 kJmol1

Atomic properties

Oxidation states

(predicted) 1, 0, +1, +2,+4, +6

Ionization energies

1st: 839.4 (predicted) kJmol1

2nd: 1563.1 (predicted) kJmol1

Covalent radius

(predicted) 157 pm
Miscellanea

CAS registry number 54144-19-3

History
Naming

IUPAC systematic element name

Discovery

Joint Institute for Nuclear

Research and Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory(2002)
Most stable isotopes

Main article: Isotopes of ununoctium

iso
294

NA

halflife

Uuo syn ~0.89

ms

DM

DE (MeV)

11.65 0.06

DP
290

Lv

SF

History
The discovery of the elements known to exist today is presented here in
chronological order. The elements are listed generally in the order in which
each was first defined as the pure element, as the exact date of discovery
of most elements cannot be accurately defined.
Given is each element's name, atomic number, year of first report, name of
the discoverer, and some notes related to the discovery.

Unrecorded discoveries
Oldes
t
Eleme
Z

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Place
Discoverers

sampl

of
oldest

Notes

sample

Copper was probably

the first metal mined
and crafted by man. It
was originally
obtained as a native
metal and later from
the smelting of ores.
Earliest estimates of
the discovery of
copper suggest
29

Copper

9000 BC

6000 BC Middle East

Anatolia

around 9000 BC in the

Middle East. It was
one of the most
important materials to
humans throughout
the copper and bronze
ages. Copper beads
dating from 6000 BC
have been found
in atal Hyk,
Anatolia.

It is believed that lead

82

Lead

7000 BC

3800 BC Near East

Abydos,

smelting began at

Egypt

least 9,000 years ago,

and the oldest known
artifact of lead is a

Oldes
t
Eleme
Z

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Place
Discoverers

sampl

of
oldest

Notes

sample

e
statuette found at the
temple of Osiris on the
site of Abydos dated
circa 3800 BC.

Archaeologists
suggest that the first
use of gold began with
the first civilizations in
79

Gold

Before
6000 BC

the Middle East. It

3000 BC Middle East

Egypt

may have been the

first metal used by
humans. The oldest
remaining gold jewelry
is that in the tomb of
Egyptian Queen Zer

Estimated to have
47

Silver

Before

ca.

5000 BC

4000 BC

Asia Minor

been discovered
shortly after copper
and gold.

There is evidence that

iron was known from
26

Iron

Before
5000 BC

4000 BC

Unknown; seeHistory
of ferrous metallurgy

Egypt

before 5000 BC. The

oldest known iron
objects used by
humans are some

Oldes
t
Eleme
Z

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Place
Discoverers

sampl

of
oldest

Notes

sample

e
beads of meteoric
iron, made in Egypt in
about 4000 BC. The
discovery of smelting
around 3000 BC led to
the start of the iron
age around 1200
BC and the prominent
use of iron for tools
and weapons.

The earliest known

use of charcoal was
for the reduction of
copper, zinc, and tin
ores in the
manufacture of
bronze, by the
Egyptians and
6

Carbon

3750 BC

Egyptians and
Sumerians

Sumerians. Diamonds
were probably known
as early as
2500 BC. The first
true chemical
analyses were made
in the 18th
century, and in 1789
carbon was listed
by Antoine

Oldes
t
Eleme
Z

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Place
Discoverers

sampl

of
oldest

Notes

sample

e
Lavoisier as an
element.

First smelted in
combination with
50

Tin

3500 BC

2000 BC

copper around

Unknown; seeTin#Hi

3500 BC to

story

produce bronze. The

oldest artifacts date
from around 2000 BC.

First used at least

16

Sulfur

Before
2000 BC

4,000 years ago.

Chinese/Indians

Recognized as an
element by Antoine
Lavoisier in 1777.

Known to ancient
Chinese and Indians
80

Mercury

Before
2000 BC

1500 BC Chinese/Indians

Egypt

before 2000 BC, and

found in Egyptian
tombs dating from
1500 BC.

30

Zinc

Before
1000 BC

1000 BC Indian metallurgists

Indian
subcontine

Extracted as a metal
since antiquity (before
1000 BC) by Indian

Oldes
t
Eleme
Z

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Place
Discoverers

sampl

of

Notes

oldest
sample

e
nt

metallurgists, but the

true nature of this
metal was not
understood in ancient
times. Identified as a
unique metal by the
metallurgistRasaratna
Samuccaya in
800 and by the
alchemist Paracelsus i
n 1526. Isolated
byAndreas Sigismund
Marggraf in 1746.

In use in the early

bronze age; Albertus
Magnus was the first
33

Arsenic

2500 BC/1250 Bronze

AD

age

European to isolate
A. Magnus

the element in
1250. In 1649, Johann
Schrder published
two ways of preparing
elemental arsenic.

In widespread use in
51

Antimony 3000 BC

Egypt and the Middle

East.

Oldes
t

Place

Eleme

Earliest

existi

nt

use

ng

Discoverers

sampl

of
oldest

Notes

sample

Found coating various

24

Chromiu
m

Before 1 AD

Before
1 AD

weapons in China
Terracotta Army

China

because of its high

strength and corrosion
resistance.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

Prepared from urine,

it was the first
15

Phosphorus

1669

1669

H. Brand

H. Brand

element to be
chemically
discovered.

Proved that the blue

color of glass is due
27

Cobalt

1732

G. Brandt

to a new kind of metal

and not bismuth as
thought previously.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

First description of a
metal found in South
American gold was in
1557 by Julius Caesar
Scaliger. Ulloa
published his findings
78

Platinum

1735

1735

A. de Ulloa

A. de Ulloa

in 1748, but Sir

Charles Wood also
investigated the metal
in 1741. First
reference to it as a
new metal was made
byWilliam
Brownrigg in 1750.

Found by attempting
to extract copper from
28

Nickel

1751

1751

F. Cronstedt

F. Cronstedt the mineral known

as fake copper (now
known as niccolite).

Definitively identified
83

Bismuth

1753

C.F. Geoffroy

by Claude Franois
Geoffroy in 1753.

Black observed
12

Magnesium

1755

1808

J. Black

H. Davy

that magnesia
alba (MgO) was

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
not quicklime (CaO).
Davy isolated the
metal
electrochemically
from magnesia.

Cavendish was the

first to distinguish H
2

from other gases,

although Paracelsus
around 1500, Robert
1

Hydrogen

1766

1500

H. Cavendish

Paracelsus

Boyle, and Joseph

Priestley had
observed its
production by reacting
strong acids with
metals. Lavoisier
named it in 1793.

Obtained it by
heating mercuric
oxide and nitrates in
1771, but did not
publish his findings
8

Oxygen

1771

1771

W. Scheele

W. Scheele

until 1777. Joseph

Priestley also
prepared this
new air by 1774, but
only Lavoisier
recognized it as a true

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
element; he named it
in 1777

He discovered
Nitrogen while he was
studying at
the University of
Edinburgh. He
showed that the air in
which animals had
breathed, even after
removal of the
7

Nitrogen

1772

1772

D. Rutherford

D.

exhaled carbon

Rutherford

dioxide, was no
longer able to burn a
candle. Carl Wilhelm
Scheele, Henry
Cavendish, and
Joseph Priestley also
studied the element at
about the same time,
and Lavoisier named
it in 1775-6.

Obtained it
from hydrochloric
17

Chlorine

1774

1774

W. Scheele

W. Scheele

acid, but thought it

was an oxide. Only in
1808 did Humphry
Davy recognize it as

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
an element.

Distinguished pyrolusi
te as the calx of a
new metal. Ignatius
Gottfred Kaim also
discovered the new
25

Manganese

1774

1774

W. Scheele

G. Gahn

metal in 1770, as did

Scheele in 1774. It
was isolated by
reduction
of manganese
dioxide with carbon.

Scheele distinguished
a new earth (BaO) in
56

Barium

1772

1808

W. Scheele

H. Davy

pyrolusite and Davy

isolated the metal
by electrolysis.

Scheele recognised
42

Molybdenum 1778

1781

W. Scheele

J. Hjelm

the metal as a
constituent
of molybdena.

52

Tellurium

1782

F.-J.M. von
Reichenstein

Muller observed it as
H. Klaproth

an impurity in gold
ores from

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
Transylvania.

Bergman obtained
from scheelite an
oxide of a new
74

Tungsten

1781

1783

T. Bergman

J. and F.
Elhuyar

element. The
Elhuyars
obtainedtungstic
acid from wolframite a
nd reduced it with
charcoal.

Cruikshank and Adair

Crawford in 1790
concluded
that strontianite contai
38

Strontium

1787

1808

W. Cruikshank

H. Davy

ned a new earth. It

was eventually
isolated
electrochemically in
1808 by Humphry
Davy.

The first modern list

of chemical
1789

A. Lavoisier

elements
containing, among
others, 23 elements
of those known

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
then. He also
redefined the term
"element". Until
then, no metals
except mercury
were considered
elements.

Klaproth identified a
40

Zirconium

1789

1824

H. Klaproth

J. Berzelius

new element
in zirconia.

Mistakenly identified
a uranium
oxide obtained
92

Uranium

1789

1841

H. Klaproth

E.-M. Pligot

from pitchblende as
the element itself and
named it after the
recently discovered
planet Uranus.

Gregor found an
oxide of a new metal
in ilmenite; Martin
22

Titanium

1791

1825

W. Gregor

J. Berzelius

Heinrich Klaproth
independently
discovered the
element in rutile in
1795 and named it.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
The pure metallic
form was only
obtained in 1910
by Matthew A. Hunter.

Discovered
in gadolinite, but
39

Yttrium

1794

1840

J. Gadolin

G. Mosander

Mosander showed
later that its ore, yttria,
contained more
elements.

Vauquelin discovered
F.
Beryllium

1798

1828

N. Vauquelin

Whler and

emerald, and Klaproth

A. Bussy

the oxide in beryl and

suggested the present
name around 1808.

Ro found the metal

in vanadinite but
retracted the claim
after Hippolyte Victor
23

Vanadium

1801

1830

M. del Ro

N.G.Sefstr

Collet-

Descotils disputed it.

Sefstrm isolated and
named it, and later it
was shown that Ro
had been right in the

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
first place.

Hatchett found the

element
in columbite ore and
named
it columbium. Heinrich
41

Niobium

1801

1864

C. Hatchett

W.

Roseproved in 1844

Blomstrand

that the element is

distinct from tantalum,
and renamed
it niobiumwhich was
officially accepted in
1949.

Ekeberg found
another element in
minerals similar to
73

Tantalum

1802

G. Ekeberg

columbite and in
1844, Heinrich Rose
proved that it was
distinct from niobium.

Wollaston discovered
it in samples of
46

Palladium

1803

1803

H. Wollaston

H. Wollaston platinum from South

America, but did not
publish his results
immediately. He had

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
intended to name it
after the newly
discovered asteroid,
Ceres, but by the time
he published his
results in 1804,
cerium had taken that
name. Wollaston
named it after the
more recently
discovered
asteroid Pallas.

Berzelius and
Hisinger discovered
the element
in ceria and named it
after the newly
discovered asteroid
(then considered a
H. Klaproth, J.
58

Cerium

1803

1839

Berzelius, and W.
Hisinger

planet), Ceres.
G. Mosander Klaproth discovered it
simultaneously and
independently in
some tantalum
samples. Mosander
proved later that the
samples of all three
researchers had at
least another element

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
in them,lanthanum.

Tennant had been

working on samples
of South American
platinum in parallel
76

Osmium

1803

1803

S. Tennant

S. Tennant

with Wollaston and

discovered two new
elements, which he
named osmium and
iridium.

Tennant had been

working on samples
of South American
platinum in parallel
with Wollaston and
77

Iridium

1803

1803

S. Tennant

S. Tennant

discovered two new

elements, which he
named osmium and
iridium, and published
the iridium results in
1804.

Wollaston discovered
45

Rhodium

1804

1804

H. Wollaston

H. Wollaston and isolated it from

crude platinum
samples from South

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
America.

Davy discovered it by
19

Potassium

1807

1807

H. Davy

H. Davy

using electrolysis
on potash.

Davy discovered it a
few days after
11

Sodium

1807

1807

H. Davy

H. Davy

potassium, by using
electrolysis on sodium
hydroxide.

Davy discovered the

20

Calcium

1808

1808

H. Davy

H. Davy

metal by electrolysis
of quicklime.

On June 21, 1808,

Lussac and Thnard
announced a new
L. Gay5

Boron

1808

1808

Lussac andL.J.

element in sedative
H. Davy

Thnard

salt, Davy announced

the isolation of a new
substance from
boracic acid soon
afterwards.

Fluorine

1810

1886

A.-M. Ampre

H. Moissan

Andr-Marie Ampre
predicted an element

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
analogous to chlorine
obtainable
fromhydrofluoric acid,
and between 1812
and 1886 many
researchers tried to
obtain this element. It
was eventually
isolated by Moissan.

Courtois discovered it
53

Iodine

1811

1811

B. Courtois

B. Courtois

in the ashes
of seaweed.

Lithium

1817

1821

A. Arfwedson

W. T. Brande

Arfwedson discovered
the alkali in petalite.

All three found an

S. L
S. L Hermann, F.
Cadmium

1817

1817

Stromeyer, and

Stromeyer,

J.C.H. Roloff

48

Hermann, F.
and J.C.H.
Roloff

unknown metal in a
sample of zinc
oxide from Silesia, but
the name that
Stromeyer gave
became the accepted
one.

34

Selenium

1817

1817

J. Berzelius and G. J. Berzelius

Gahn

While working with

and G. Gahn lead they discovered

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
a substance that they
thought was tellurium,
but realized after
more investigation
that it is different.

Humphry Davy
thought in 1800
that silica was an
element, not a
compound, and in
1808 suggested the
present name. In
1811 Louis-Joseph
14

Silicon

1824

1824

J. Berzelius

J. Berzelius

Gay-Lussac and
Louis-Jacques
Thnard probably
prepared impure
silicon, but Berzelius
is credited with the
discovery for
obtaining the pure
element in 1824.

Antoine Lavoisier
predicted in 1787
13

Aluminium

1825

1825

H.C.rsted

H.C.rsted

that alumine is the

oxide of an
undiscovered
element, and in 1808

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
Humphry Davy tried
to decompose it.
Although he failed, he
suggested the present
name. Hans Christian
rsted was the first to
isolate metallic
aluminium in 1825.

They both discovered

35

Bromine

1825

1825

J. Balard and L.

J. Balard and

Gmelin

L. Gmelin

the element in the

autumn of 1825 and
published the results
the next year.

Berzelius obtained the

90

Thorium

1829

J. Berzelius

oxide of a new earth

in thorite.

Mosander found a
new element in
samples of ceria and
57

Lanthanum

1838

G. Mosander

published his results

in 1842, but later he
showed that
this lanthana containe
d four more elements.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

Mosander managed
to split the old yttria
68

Erbium

1842

G. Mosander

into yttria proper

and erbia, and
laterterbia too.

In 1842 Mosander
65

Terbium

1842

1842

G. Mosander

G. Mosander

split yttria into two

more earths, erbia
and terbia

Sniadecki isolated the

element in 1807, but
his work was not
ratified. Gottfried
Wilhelm
Osann thought that he
found three new
metals in Russian
44

Ruthenium

1807

1844

J. Sniadecki

J. Sniadecki

platinum samples,
and in 1844 Karl
Karlovich
Klaus confirmed that
there was a new
element. Klaus is
usually recognized as
the discoverer of the
element.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

Bunsen and Kirchhoff

were the first to
suggest finding new
elements by spectrum
analysis. They
discovered caesium
55

Caesium

1860

1882

R. Bunsen and R.
Kirchhoff

C. Setterberg

by its two
blue emission lines in
a sample
ofDrkheim mineral
water. The pure metal
was eventually
isolated in 1882 by
Setterberg.

Bunsen and Kirchhoff

discovered it just a
few months after
caesium, by
observing new
37

Rubidium

1861

R. Bunsen and G.
R. Kirchhoff

R. Bunsen

spectral lines in the

mineral lepidolite.
Bunsen never
obtained a pure
sample of the metal,
which was later
obtained by Hervesy.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

Shortly after the

discovery of rubidium,
Crookes found a new
81

Thallium

1861

1862

W. Crookes

C.-A. Lamy

green line in a
selenium sample;
later that year, Lamy
found the element to
be metallic.

Reich and Richter

First identified it
in sphalerite by its
49

Indium

1863

1867

F. Reich and T.
Richter

T. Richter

bright indigo-blue
spectroscopic
emission line. Richter
isolated the metal
several years later.

Janssen and Lockyer

observed
W.
2

Helium

1868

1895

P. Janssen and N.
Lockyer

Ramsay, T.
Cleve,
and N.
Langlet

independently a
yellow line in the solar
spectrum that did not
match any other
element.
Years later, Ramsay,
Cleve, and Langlet
observed

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
independently the
element trapped
in cleveite about the
same time.
Mendeleev arranges
the 63 elements
known at that time
1869

D. I. Mendeleev

into the first modern

periodic table and
correctly predicts
several others.
Boisbaudran
observed on a
pyrenea blende sampl
e some emission lines

31

Gallium

P. E. L. de
Boisbaudran

1875

P. E. L. de
Boisbaudran

corresponding to the
eka-aluminium that
was predicted by
Mendeleev in 1871
and subsequently
isolated the element
by electrolysis.
On October 22, 1878,
Marignac reported

70

Ytterbium

1878

1907

J.C.G. de Marignac G. Urbain

splitting terbia into two

new earths, terbia
proper and ytterbia.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
Delafontaine found it
in samarskite and
next year, Per Teodor
67

Holmium

1878

Cleve split Marignac's

M. Delafontaine

erbia into erbia proper

and two new
elements, thulium and
holmium.
Cleve split Marignac's
erbia into erbia proper

69

Thulium

1879

1879

T. Cleve

T. Cleve

and two new

elements, thulium and
holmium.
Nilson split Marignac's
ytterbia into pure

21

Scandium

1879

1879

F. Nilson

F. Nilson

ytterbia and a new

element that matched
1871 Mendeleev's
predicted eka-boron.
Boisbaudran noted a

62

Samarium

1879

1879

P.E.L. de

P.E.L. de

Boisbaudran

Boisbaudran

new earth in
samarskite and
named it samaria
after the mineral.

64

Gadolinium

1880

1886

Marignac initially

J. C. G. de

F. L. de

Marignac

Boisbaudran observed the new

earth in terbia, and

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
later Boisbaudran
obtained a pure
sample from
samarskite.
Von Welsbach
59

Praseodymiu
m

discovered two new

1885

A. von Welsbach

distinct elements in
ceria: praseodymium
and neodymium.
Von Welsbach
discovered two new

60

Neodymium

1885

A. von Welsbach

distinct elements in
ceria: praseodymium
and neodymium.

66

Dysprosium

De Boisbaudran

P.E.L. de

1886

found a new earth in

Boisbaudran

erbia.
In February 1886
Winkler found

32

Germanium

1886

A. Winkler

in argyrodite the ekasilicon that Mendeleev

had predicted in 1871.
They discovered the

Lord
18

Argon

1894

1894

Lord

Rayleigh and W.

Rayleigh and gas by comparing the

W. Ramsay molecular weights of

Ramsay

nitrogen prepared

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
by liquefaction from
air and nitrogen
prepared by chemical
means. It is the first
noble gas to be
isolated.
On May 30, 1898,
36

Krypton

1898

1898

W. Ramsay and W.
Travers

W. Ramsay

Ramsay separated a

and W.

noble gas from liquid

Travers

argon by difference in
boiling point.
In June 1898 Ramsay

10

Neon

1898

1898

W. Ramsay and W.
Travers

W. Ramsay

separated a new

and W.

noble gas from liquid

Travers

argon by difference in
boiling point.
On July 12, 1898
Ramsay separated a

54

Xenon

1898

1898

W. Ramsay and W.
Travers

W. Ramsay

third noble gas within

and W.

three weeks, from

Travers

liquid argon by
difference in boiling
point.
In an experiment

84

Polonium

1898

1902

P. and M. Curie

W.

done on July 13,

Marckwald

1898, the Curies

noted an increased

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
radioactivity in the
uranium obtained
from pitchblende,
which they ascribed to
an unknown element.
The Curies reported
on December 26,
1898, a new element
88

Radium

1898

1902

P. and M. Curie

M. Curie

different from
polonium, which
Marie later isolated
from uraninite.
Dorn discovered a

W. Ramsay
Radon

1898

1910

E. Dorn

and R.

resulting from the

Whytlaw-

radioactive decay of

Gray

86

radioactive gas

radium, isolated later

by Ramsay and Gray.
Debierne obtained

89

Actinium

1899

1899

A.-L. Debierne

A.-L.
Debierne

from pitchblende a
substance that had
properties similar to
those of thorium.
Demaray found

63

Europium

1896

1901

E.-A. Demaray

E.-A.

spectral lines of a new

Demaray

element in Lecoq's
samarium, and

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
separated this
element several years
later.
Urbain and von

71

Lutetium

1906

1906

G. Urbain and C.A.

von Welsbach

G. Urbain
and C.A. von
Welsbach

Welsbach proved
independently that the
old ytterbium also
contained a new
element
Ogawa found it
in thorianite but
assigned it as
element 43 instead of
75 and named
it nipponium. In

75

Rhenium

1908[contradiction] 1908

M. Ogawa

M. Ogawa

1922 Walter
Noddack, Ida Eva
Tacke and Otto
Berg announced its
separation
from gadolinite and
gave it the present
name.
Urbain claimed to

72

Hafnium

1911

1922

G. Urbain and V.
Vernadsky

D.

have found the

Coster and G element in rare-earth
. von Hevesy residues, while
Vernadsky

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
independently found it
in orthite. Neither
claim was confirmed
due to World War I.
After the war, Coster
and Hevesy found it
by X-ray
spectroscopic
analysis in Norwegian
zircon. Hafnium was
the next to last
element with stable
isotopes to be
discovered.
The two obtained the
first isotope of this
element that had
been predicted by
91

O.H.Ghring and K.

Mendeleev in 1871 as

Fajans

Protactinium 1913

a member of the
natural decay
of 238U.[107] Originally
isolated in 1900 by
William Crookes.
The two discovered a

43

Technetium

1937

1937

C. Perrier and E.

C. Perrier &

new element in a

Segr

E.Segr

molybdenum sample
that was used in
acyclotron, the

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First
isolator

Notes

)
first synthetic
element to be
discovered. It had
been predicted by
Mendeleev in 1871 as
eka-manganese.
Perey discovered it as
a decay product
of 227Ac.[111] Francium
is the last element to
be discovered in
nature, rather than
synthesized in the lab,
87

Francium

1939

M. Perey

although some of the

"synthetic" elements
that were discovered
later (plutonium,
neptunium, astatine)
were eventually found
in trace amounts in
nature as well.
Obtained by
bombarding bismuth

R. Corson, R.
85

Astatine

1940

with alpha

Mackenzie and E.

particles Later

Segr

determined to occur
naturally in minuscule
quantities (<25 grams

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
in earth's crust).
Obtained by
E.M.
Neptunium

McMillan and H.

1940

with neutrons, it is the

Abelson

93

irradiating uranium
first transuranium
elementdiscovered.

Glenn T.

Prepared by

Seaborg,Arthur C.
94

Plutonium

19401941

bombardment of

Wahl, W.

uranium with

Kennedy and E.M.

deuterons.

McMillan

Prepared by

G. T. Seaborg, A.
95

Americium

irradiating plutonium

James, O.

1944

with neutrons during

Morganand A.

the Manhattan

Ghiorso

Project.
Prepared by

G. T. Seaborg, R.
Curium

A. James and A.

1944

with alpha particles

Ghiorso

96

bombarding plutonium
during the Manhattan
Project
Charles D.

61

Promethium

1942

1945

S. Wu, E.G.

It was probably first

Coryell, Jaco prepared in 1942 by

Segrand A. Bethe b A.
Marinsky,La
wrence E.

bombarding
neodymium and
praseodymium with

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
Glendenin,

neutrons, but

andHarold G. separation of the

Richter

element could not be

carried out. Isolation
was performed under
the Manhattan Project
in 1945.

G. Thompson, A.
Berkelium

Ghiorso and G. T.
Seaborg (University of

1949

bombardment of
americium with alpha

California, Berkeley)

97

Created by

particles.

S. G. Thompson, K.
Street,Jr., A.
Californium

Ghiorso and G. T.

1950

curium with alpha

Seaborg(University of

98

Bombardment of
particles.

California, Berkeley)

Formed in the first

A. Ghiorso et
al.(Argonne Laboratory,Los
99

Einsteinium

1952

1952

Alamos Laboratoryand
University of California,
Berkeley)

thermonuclear
explosion in
November 1952, by
irradiation of uranium
with neutrons; kept
secret for several
years.

A. Ghiorso et
100

Fermium

1952

Formed in the first

al.(Argonne Laboratory,

thermonuclear

Los Alamos Laboratory and

explosion in

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

University of California,

November 1952, by

Berkeley)

irradiation of uranium
with neutrons; kept
secret for several
years.

A. Ghiorso, G.
Harvey, R.
101

Mendelevium 1955

Choppin, S. G.
Thompson and G.
T. Seaborg

Prepared by
bombardment of
einsteinium with
helium.

A. Ghiorso, T.

Lawrencium

1961

Waltonand G. T.

curium with carbon

atoms.
First prepared by

Sikkeland, E.

bombardment of

Larshand M.

californium with boron

Latimer

103

1958

bombardment of

A. Ghiorso, T.

Nobelium

Sikkeland, R.
Seaborg

102

First prepared by

atoms

A. Ghiorso, M.
104

Rutherfordiu
m

Nurmia, J.
1968

Harris, K.
Eskola and P.
Eskola

Prepared by
bombardment of
californium with
carbon atoms.

A. Ghiorso, M.
105

Dubnium

1970

Prepared by

Nurmia, K. Eskola,

bombardment of

J. Harris and P.

californium with

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

)
Eskola

nitrogen atoms.

A. Ghiorso, J.
Nitschke, J.
Alonso,C. Alonso,
Seaborgium

1974

M. Nurmia, G. T.

of californium-249

Seaborg, K.

106

Prepared by collisions
with oxygen atoms.

Hulet and W.
Lougheed

107

Bohrium

1981

G.Mnzenberg et
al.(GSI in Darmstadt)

G. Mnzenberg, P.
109

Meitnerium

1982

Armbruster et
al. (GSI in Darmstadt)

Obtained by
bombarding bismuth
with chromium.
Prepared by
bombardment of
bismuth with iron
atoms.

G. Mnzenberg, P.

110

111

Hassium

Darmstadtiu
m

1984

1994

Roentgenium 1994

Armbruster et

bombardment of lead

al. (GSI in Darmstadt)

108

Prepared by
with iron atoms

S. Hofmann et
al. (GSI in Darmstadt)

S. Hofmann et
al. (GSI in Darmstadt)

Prepared by
bombardment of lead
with nickel.
Prepared by
bombardment of
bismuth with nickel.

Isolate
Observed
or

(widely

predicted

d
known

Element

Observer

First

Notes

isolator

112

Copernicium 1996

S. Hofmann et
al. (GSI in Darmstadt)

Prepared by
bombardment of lead
with zinc.
Prepared by

114

Flerovium

1999

Y. Oganessian et

bombardment of

al.(JINR in Dubna)

plutonium with
calcium

116

Livermorium 2000

Y.Oganessian et
al.(JINR in Dubna)

Prepared by
bombardment of
curium with calcium

Unconfirmed discoveries
Z

Name

Discovery
year

Discoverer

Notes

Joint Institute for Nuclear

Research in Dubna
and Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory

Prepared by
bombardment of
californium with calcium

2003

Joint Institute for Nuclear

Research in Dubna and
Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory

Alpha decay of
ununpentium

115 Ununpentium 2003

Joint Institute for Nuclear

Research in Dubna and
Lawrence Livermore National

Prepared by
bombardment of

118 Ununoctium

113 Ununtrium

2002

Laboratory
Joint Institute for Nuclear
Research in Dubna and
Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory

117 Ununseptium 2010

americium with calcium[

Prepared by
bombardment of
berkelium with calcium

Graphics

Development in discovery
Unsuccessful synthesis attempts
In late 1998, Polish physicist Robert Smolaczuk published calculations on
the fusion of atomic nuclei towards the synthesis ofsuperheavy atoms,
including ununoctium. His calculations suggested that it might be possible
to make ununoctium by fusing leadwith krypton under carefully controlled
conditions.
In 1999, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory made use
of these predictions and announced the discovery oflivermorium and
ununoctium, in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, and very
soon after the results were reported inScience. The researchers reported to
have performed the reaction
86

208
Kr +

Pb

293

Uuo + n

36

82

118

The following year, they published a retraction after researchers at other

laboratories were unable to duplicate the results and the Berkeley lab itself
was unable to duplicate them as well. In June 2002, the director of the lab
announced that the original claim of the discovery of these two elements
had been based on data fabricated by principal author Victor Ninov.
Discovery reports
The first decay of atoms of ununoctium was observed at the Joint Institute
for Nuclear Research (JINR) by Yuri Oganessian and his group in Dubna,
Russia, in 2002. On October 9, 2006, researchers from JINR and Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory of California, US, working at the JINR in
Dubna, announced that they had indirectly detected a total of three
(possibly four) nuclei of ununoctium-294 (one or two in 2002 and two more
in 2005) produced via collisions of californium-249 atoms and calcium-48
ions.
249
Cf +
98

48
Ca
20

294

Uuo + 3n
118

In 2011, IUPAC evaluated the 2006 results of the Dubna-Livermore

collaboration and concluded: "The three events reported for the Z = 118
isotope have very good internal redundancy but with no anchor to known
nuclei do not satisfy the criteria for discovery".
Because of the very small fusion reaction probability (the fusion cross
section is ~0.30.6 pb or(36)1041 m2) the experiment took four months
and involved a beam dose of 41019calcium ions that had to be shot at
the californium target to produce the first recorded event believed to be the
synthesis of ununoctium. Nevertheless, researchers are highly confident
that the results are not a false positive, since the chance that the detections
were random events was estimated to be less than one part in 100000.

In the experiments, the alpha-decay of three atoms of ununoctium was

observed. A fourth decay by direct spontaneous fission was also proposed.
A half-life of0.89 ms Was calculated:
294 Uuo decays into 290 Lv by alpha decay. Since there were only three
nuclei, the half-life derived from observed lifetimes has a large uncertainty:
0.89+1.070.31 ms.
294
290
4
Uuo
118

Lv

He

116

The identification of the 294Uuo nuclei was verified by separately creating

the putative daughter nucleus 290Lv directly by means of a bombardment
of 245Cm with 48Ca ions,
245

48

Cm +
96

290
Ca

20

Lv + 3n
116

and checking that the 290Lv decay matched the decay chain of
the 294Uuo nuclei. The daughter nucleus 290Lv is very unstable, decaying
with a lifetime of 14 milliseconds into 286Fl, which may experience
either spontaneous fission or alpha decay into 282Cn, which will undergo
spontaneous fission.
In a quantum-tunneling model, the alpha decay half-life of 294 Uuo was
predicted to be 0.66+0.23 0.18 ms with the experimental Q-value
published in 2004. Calculation with theoretical Q-values from the
macroscopic-microscopic model of MuntianHofmanPatykSobiczewski
gives somewhat low but comparable results.

Ununoctium-294 nuclear.svg

Radioactive decay pathway of the isotope ununoctium-294. The decay

energy and average half-life is given for the parent isotopeand
each daughter isotope. The fraction of atoms undergoingspontaneous
fission (SF) is given in green.

Naming
Until the 1960s ununoctium was known as eka-emanation (emanation is
the old name for radon). In 1979 the IUPAC published recommendations
according to which the element was to be called ununoctium, a systematic
element name, as a placeholder until the discovery of the element is
confirmed and the IUPAC decides on a name.
Before the retraction in 2002, the researchers from Berkeley had intended
to name the element ghiorsium (Gh), after Albert Ghiorso (a leading
member of the research team).
The Russian discoverers reported their synthesis in 2006. In 2007, the
head of the Russian institute stated the team were considering two names
for the new element: flyorium, in honor of Georgy Flyorov, the founder of
the research laboratory in Dubna; and moskovium, in recognition of
the Moscow Oblast where Dubna is located. He also stated that although

the element was discovered as an American collaboration, who provided

the californium target, the element should rightly be named in honor of
Russia since the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions at JINR was the
only facility in the world which could achieve this result. These names were
later proposed for element 114(flerovium) and element 116 (moscovium).
However, the final
instead livermorium.

name

proposed

for

element

116

was

No name has yet been officially suggested for the element as no claims for
discovery have yet been accepted by the IUPAC. According to current
guidelines from IUPAC, the ultimate name for all new elements should end
in "-ium", which means the name for ununoctium will almost certainly end in
"-ium", not "-on", even if ununoctium turns out to be anoble gas, which
traditionally have names ending in "-on" (with the exception of helium,
which was not known to be a noble gas when it was discovered).
Characteristics

Nucleus stability and isotopes

The stability of nuclei decreases greatly with the increase in atomic number
after plutonium, the heaviest primordial element, so that all isotopes with an
atomic number above 101 decay radioactively with a half-life under a day,
with an exception of dubnium-268. No elements with atomic
numbers above 82 (after lead) have stable isotopes. Nevertheless,
because of reasons not very well understood yet, there is a slight increased
nuclear stability around atomic numbers 110114, which leads to the
appearance of what is known in nuclear physics as the "island of stability".
This concept, proposed by University of California professor Glenn
Seaborg, explains why super heavy elements last longer than predicted.
Ununoctium is radioactive and has a half-life that appears to be less than
a millisecond. Nonetheless, this is still longer than some predicted
values, thus giving further support to the idea of this "island of stability".
Calculations using a quantum-tunneling model predict the existence of
several neutron-rich isotopes of ununoctium with alpha-decay half-lives
close to 1 ms.
Theoretical calculations done on the synthetic pathways for, and the halflife of, other isotopes have shown that some could be slightly
more stable than the synthesized the synthesized isotope294Uuo, most

likely 293Uuo, 295Uuo, 296Uuo, 297Uuo, 298Uuo, 300Uuo

and 302Uuo. Of
these, 297Uuo might provide the best chances for obtaining longer-lived
nuclei, and thus might become the focus of future work with this

element. Some isotopes with many more neutrons, such as some

located around 313Uuo could also provide longer-lived nuclei
Calculated atomic and physical properties
Ununoctium is a member of group 18, the zero-valence elements. The
members of this group are usually inert to most common chemical
reactions (for example, combustion) because the outer valence shell is
completely filled with eight electrons. This produces a stable, minimum
energy configuration in which the outer electrons are tightly bound. It is
thought that similarly, ununoctium has a closed outer valence shell in which
its valence electrons are arranged in a 7s27p6 configuration.
Consequently, some expect ununoctium to have similar physical and
chemical properties to other members of its group, most closely resembling
the noble gas above it in the periodic table, radon. Following the periodic
trend, ununoctium would be expected to be slightly more reactive than
radon. However, theoretical calculations have shown that it could be quite
reactive, so that it probably cannot be considered a noble gas. In addition
to being far more reactive than radon, ununoctium may be even more
reactive than elements flerovium and copernicium. The reason for the
apparent enhancement of the chemical activity of ununoctium relative to
radon is an energetic destabilization and a radial expansion of the last
occupied
7p-subshell.
More
precisely,
considerable spinorbit
interactions between the 7p electrons with the inert 7s2 electrons,
effectively lead to a second valence shell closing at flerovium, and a
significant decrease in stabilization of the closed shell of element 118. It
has also been calculated that ununoctium, unlike other noble gases, binds
an electron with release of energyor in other words, it exhibits
positive electron affinity.
Ununoctium is expected to have by far the broadest polarizability of all
elements before it in the periodic table, and almost twofold of radon.[1] By
extrapolating from the other noble gases, it is expected that ununoctium
has a boiling point between 320 and 380 K. This is very different from the
previously estimated values of 263 K or 247 K. Even given the large
uncertainties of the calculations, it seems highly unlikely that ununoctium

would be a gas under standard conditions, and as the liquid range of the
other gases is very narrow, between 2 and 9 kelvins, this element should
be solid at standard conditions. If ununoctium forms a gas under standard
conditions nevertheless, it would be one of the densest gaseous
substances at standard conditions (even if it is monatomic like the other
noble gases).
Because of its tremendous polarizability, ununoctium is expected to have
an anomalously low ionization energy (similar to that of lead which is 70%
of that of radonand significantly smaller than that of flerovium) and a
standard state con densed phase
Predicted compounds
No compounds of ununoctium have been synthesized yet, but calculations
on theoretical compounds have been performed since 1964. It is expected
that if the ionization energy of the element is high enough, it will be difficult
to oxidize and therefore, the most common oxidation state will be 0 (as for
other noble gases);[ nevertheless, this appears not to be the case.
Calculations on the diatomic molecule Uuo2 showed a bonding interaction
roughly equivalent to that calculated for Hg2, and a dissociation energy of 6
kJ/mol, roughly 4 times of that of Rn2. But most strikingly, it was calculated
to have a bond length shorter than in Rn2 by 0.16 , which would be
indicative of a significant bonding interaction. On the other hand, the
compound UuoH+ exhibits a dissociation energy (in other words proton
affinity of Uuo) that is smaller than that of RnH+.
The bonding between ununoctium and hydrogen in UuoH is predicted to be
very limp and can be regarded as a pure van der Waals interaction rather
than a true chemical bond. On the other hand, with highly electronegative
elements, ununoctium seems to form more stable compounds than for
example copernicium or flerovium. The stable oxidation states +2 and +4
have been predicted to exist in the fluorides UuoF2 and UuoF4. The +6
state would be less stable due to the strong binding of the
7p1/2 subshell. This is a result of the same spin-orbit interactions that make
ununoctium unusually reactive.
For example, it was shown that the reaction of ununoctium with F
2 to form the compound UuoF2 would release an energy of 106 kcal/mol of
which about 46 kcal/mol come from these interactions.

For comparison, the spin-orbit interaction for the similar molecule RnF
2 is about 10 kcal/mol out of a formation energy of 49 kcal/mol. The same
interaction
stabilizes
the tetrahedral
Td configuration for UuoF
4,
as
distinct
from
the square
planar
D4h one of XeF
4 which RnF4 is also expected to have. The UuoF bond will most probably
be ionic rather than covalent, rendering the UuoFncompounds non-volatile.
UuoF2 is
predicted
to
be
partially ionic due
to
ununoctium's
high electropositivity. Unlike the other noble gases (except possibly xenon),
ununoctium was predicted to be sufficiently electropositive to form a Uuo
Cl bond with chlorine.

XeF4 has a square planar configuration.

UuoF4 is predicted to have a tetrahedral configuration.

Experiments conducted at Dubna in Russia at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear
Reactions (by workers from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia and the
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA) indicate that element 118
(ununoctium, Uuo) was produced. Not too much though, one atom in the spring of 2002
and two more in 2005.
Table: basic information about and classifications of ununoctium.

Name: Ununoctium
Symbol: Uuo

Group in periodic table: 18

Group name: Noble gas

Atomic number: 118

Atomic weight: [ 294 ]
Standard state: presumably a gas at
298 K
CAS Registry ID: 54144-19-3

Period in periodic table: 7

Block in periodic table: p-block
Colour: unknown, but probably a
colourless gas
Classification: Non-metallic

Ununoctium: historical information

Ununoctium was discovered by (not yet confirmed) at 2002 (not yet confirmed. A claim
in 1999 was retracted later) in (not yet confirmed). Origin of name: temporary systematic
IUPAC nomenclature.
Experiments conducted at Dubna in Russia at the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear
Reactions (by workers from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia and the
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA) indicate that element 118
(ununoctium, Uuo) was produced. Not too much though, one atom in the spring of 2002
and two more in 2005.
The 2002 experiment involved firing a beam of 4820Ca at 24998Cf. The experiment took 4
months and involved a beam of 2.5 x 1019 calcium ions to produce the single event
believed to be the synthesis of element 118 (ununoctium) as the249118Uuo isotope. Three
neutrons are released during this process
249

98

Cf + 4820Ca 294118Uuo + 31n

This research was reported at an IUPAC conference in China (Yu. Ts. Oganessian,
"Synthesis and decay properties of superheavy elements", Pure Appl. Chem., 2006, 78,
889-904.) in August 2006 and then more recently in Phys Rev C [Yu. Ts. Oganessian,
V. K. Utyonkov, Yu. V. Lobanov, F. Sh. Abdullin, A. N. Polyakov, R. N. Sagaidak, I. V.
Shirokovsky, Yu. S. Tsyganov, A. A. Voinov, G. G. Gulbekian, S. L. Bogomolov, B. N.
Gikal, A. N. Mezentsev, S. Iliev, V. G. Subbotin, A. M. Sukhov, K. Subotic, V. I.
Zagrebaev, G. K. Vostokin, M. G. Itkis, K. J. Moody, J. B. Patin, D. A. Shaughnessy, M.
A. Stoyer, N. J. Stoyer, P. A. Wilk, J. M. Kenneally, J. H. Landrum, J. F. Wild, and R. W.
Lougheed, "Synthesis of the isotopes of elements 118 and 116 in the 249Cf
and 245Cm+48Ca fusion reactions", Phys. Rev. C, 2006,74, 044602].
Earlier, a team of Berkeley Lab scientists announced in 1999 the observation of what
appeared to be element 118 but retracted the claim after several confirmation
experiments failed to reproduce the results. Please see this page for more details. In
this work it was claimed that elements 118 and 116 were formed by accelerating a
beam of krypton-86 (8636Kr) ions to an energy of 449 million electron volts and directing
the beam onto targets of lead-208 (20882Pb). After 11 days work, just three atoms of the
new element were identified. The production rates for element 118 are approximately
one in every 1012 interactions.

208

82

Pb + 8636Kr 293118Uuo + 1n

These experiments were carried out following calculations by Robert Smolanczuk

(Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies, Poland) on the fusion of atomic nucleii. His
calculations suggested that it might be possible to make element 118 by fusing lead
with krypton under carefully controlled conditions.

Ununoctium: physical properties

Melting point: no data K

Boiling point: no data K

Density of solid: 5700 (predicted, other prediction 5000) kg m-3

Read more

Ununoctium: orbital properties

Ground state electron configuration: [Rn].5f14.6d10.7s2.7p6 (a guess based upon that

of radon)
Shell structure: 2.8.18.32.32.18.8
Term symbol: 1S0 (a guess based upon guessed electronic structure)

Pauling electronegativity: no data (Pauling units)

First ionisation energy: no data kJ mol-1

Second ionisation energy: no data kJ mol-1

Read more

Isolation
Isolation: experiments conducted at Dubna in Russia at the Flerov Laboratory of
Nuclear Reactions (by workers from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia
and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the USA) indicate that element 118
(ununoctium, Uuo) was produced. Not too much though, one atom in the spring of 2002
and two more in 2005.
The 2002 experiment involved firing a beam of 4820Ca at 24998Cf. The experiment took 4
months and involved a beam of 2.5 x 1019 calcium ions to produce the single event
believed to be the synthesis of element 118 (ununoctium) as the294118Uuo isotope. Three
neutrons are released during this process.
249

98

Cf + 4820Ca 294118Uuo + 31n

This ununoctium isotope then loses three alpha particles in rapid succesion:
294

118

290
286

Uuo 290116Lv + 42He (1.29 milliseconds)

Lv 286114Fl + 42He (14.4 milliseconds)

116

114

Fl 282112Uub + 42He (230 milliseconds)

The 282112Cn species then undergoes spontaneous fission (denoted SF) to other species.
An important part of this work was additional work synthesising isotopes of element 116
through irradiation of 245Cm (as opposed to 249Cm referred to above).
245

98

Cf + 4820Ca 290116Lv + 31n

Analysis of this reaction very clearly indicates that 290116Lv is indeed a decomposition
product of 294118Uuo. This research was reported at an IUPAC conference in China (Yu.
Ts. Oganessian, "Synthesis and decay properties of superheavy elements", Pure Appl.
Chem., 2006, 78, 889-904.) in August 2006 and then more recently in Phys Rev C [Yu.
Ts. Oganessian, V. K. Utyonkov, Yu. V. Lobanov, F. Sh. Abdullin, A. N. Polyakov, R. N.
Sagaidak, I. V. Shirokovsky, Yu. S. Tsyganov, A. A. Voinov, G. G. Gulbekian, S. L.
Bogomolov, B. N. Gikal, A. N. Mezentsev, S. Iliev, V. G. Subbotin, A. M. Sukhov, K.
Subotic, V. I. Zagrebaev, G. K. Vostokin, M. G. Itkis, K. J. Moody, J. B. Patin, D. A.
Shaughnessy, M. A. Stoyer, N. J. Stoyer, P. A. Wilk, J. M. Kenneally, J. H. Landrum, J.
F. Wild, and R. W. Lougheed, "Synthesis of the isotopes of elements 118 and 116 in
the 249Cf and245Cm+48Ca fusion reactions", Phys. Rev. C, 2006, 74, 044602].
Earlier, a team of Berkeley Lab scientists announced in 1999 the observation of what
appeared to be element 118 but retracted the claim after several confirmation
experiments failed to reproduce the results. This means that the following apparently is
wrong. Please see this page for more details. In this work it was claimed that elements
118 and 116 were formed by accelerating a beam of krypton-86 (8636Kr) ions to an
energy of 449 million electron volts and directing the beam onto targets of lead-208
(20882Pb). After 11 days work, just three atoms of the new element were identified. The
production rates for element 118 are approximately one in every 10 12 interactions.
208

82

Pb + 8636Kr 293118Uuo + 1n

The element 118 nucleus was said to decay less than a millisecond after its formation
by emitting an -particle resulting in an isotope of element 116 (mass number 289,
containing 116 protons and 173 neutrons). This isotope of element 116 undergoes
further -decay processes to an isotope of element 114 and so on down to at least
element 106 (seaborgium).
293

289

118

Uuo 289116Lv + 42He (0.12 milliseconds)

Lv 285114Fl + 42He (0.60 milliseconds)

116

285

281

277

273

114

Fl 281112Cn + 42He (0.58 milliseconds)

112

Cn 277Ds + 42He (0.89 milliseconds)

Ds 273108Hs + 42He (3 milliseconds)

108

Hs 269106Sg + 42He (1200 milliseconds)

Ununoctium
Ununoctium

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Ununoctio

Ununoctium

Ununoctium

Ununoctio

Ununoctium

Ununoctio

Ununoctium
Essential data: names, symbol, atomic number, and atomic
weight; block, period, and group in periodic table; description;
standard state; registry number; and isolation
History: meaning of name; discovery; and history of the element
Uses
Find a property
Ununoctium around us
Geology: Abundance of elements in the universe; the sun;
meteorites; Earth's crust; oceans; and streams
Biology: Abundance in humans; biological role; and health
hazards)
Search Chemistry Web

Chemistry and compounds

Compounds: halides, oxides, sulfides, hydrides, and complexes;
lattice energies; and reduction potentials

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Reactions of ununoctium: reactions of ununoctium with air;

water; halogens; acids; and bases
Electronegativities: Pauling; Sanderson; Allred Rochow;
Mulliken-Jaffe; and Allen
Bond enthalpies of diatomic species
Lattice energies
Element properties
Physics properties: Boiling point; melting point; density; molar
volume; thermal conductivity; and electrical resistivity; bulk
modulus; critical temperature; superconductivity temperature;
hardness (mineralogical, Brinell, and Vickers); linear expansion
coefficient; Poisson's ratio; reflectivity; refractive index; rigidity
modulus; Young's modulus; velocity of sound
Crystal structure
Thermochemistry: enthalpies of atomization, fusion, and
vaporization; thermodynamic properties
Pictures
Atom properties
Electron shell properties: Electronic configuration; term
symbol; electron affinity; ionization energies; and atomic spectra
Atom sizes: atomic radius; Shannon and Pauling ionic radii;
covalent radius; metallic radius; element bond length; and Van
der Waals radius
Atomic orbital properties: effective nuclear charge; electron
binding energies; and valence orbital radii maxima
Nuclear properties
Isotopes: isotope abundances; radioactive isotopes; isotope
masses; nuclear spins; and nuclear magnetic moment
NMR properties: frequencies; isotopes; magnetogyric ratios;
quadrupole moments; receptivities; and relative sensitivities

Ununoctium Ununoctium
The Ununoctium was discovered by V. Ninov and many of collaborates that was
A.Ghiorso, W.J. Siatecki,C.A. Laue, J.B. Patin, D.A. Shaughnessy, D.A. Strellis,

and P.A.Wilk in the year of 1996 in Berkeley, California and the university of the
state of Oregon inUSA.
Basic Information: Name: Ununoctium.
Symbol: Uuo
Atomic Number: 118
Atomic Mass: 293
The origin: Temporary name proposed by the IUPAC.From Latin: Un(one)un
(one) octium (eight) as the element 118 of the periodic table.Characteristics and the
main properties of Ununoctium.
Characteristics:
1. Scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia showed that in
the element 118 has been produced an atom in the spring in 2002 and two more in
2005.
2. Ununoctium is a radioactive element and has a half life that seems to be less
than a millisecond.
3. Colour: unknown, but probably a colourless gas.
4. Classification: Non-metallic.
5. Availability: Not commercially available.
6. Group in the periodic table was 8.
7. The Ununoctium structure was crystal
Properties:
1. The atomic number of Ununoctium was 118
2. The symbol of Ununoctium was Uuo.
3. The atomic weight was 293.
4. Ununoctium is a member of group 18. Members of this group tend to be material
inert to mostcommon chemical reactions (for example the combustion), as the
outer valence shell is completelyfilled with eight electrons. This produces a stable
form, minimum energy in which the configurationthe outer electrons are closely
linked.
The electron Configuration of Ununoctium:1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d1 4p6 5s2
4d1 5p6 6s2 4f4 5d1 6p6 7s2 5f4 6d1 7p6
Uses:Since only three atoms of Ununoctium have ever been produced, it currently
has no uses outside of basic scientific research. It would constitute a radiation
hazard if enough were ever assembled inone place.
Ionization Energy (1st) kJ mol-1
Ionization Energy (2nd) kJ mol-1
IonizationEnergy (3rd) kJ mol-1