Gas-phase chemistry of element 114, flerovium

Abstract

Element 114 was discovered in 2000 by the Dubna-Livermore collaboration, and in 2012 it was named flerovium. It belongs to the group 14 of the periodic table of elements. A strong relativistic stabilisation of the valence shell 7s27p21/2 is expected due to the orbital splitting and the contraction not only of the 7s2 but also of the spherical 7p21/2 closed subshell, resulting in the enhanced volatility and inertness. Flerovium was studied chemically by gas-solid chromatography upon its adsorption on a gold surface. Two experimental results on Fl chemistry have been published so far. Based on observation of three atoms, a weak interaction of flerovium with gold was suggested in the first study. Authors of the second study concluded on the metallic character after the observation of two Fl atoms deposited on gold at room temperature.