Island of stability

In <a href="/facts/Nuclear_physics/fzQbt1aF">nuclear physics</a>, the island of stability is a predicted set of <a href="/facts/Isotope/KD9B1y6o">isotopes</a> of <a href="/facts/Superheavy_element/9PjYvCc3">superheavy elements</a> that may have considerably longer <a href="/facts/Half-lives/kGVH8BAB">half-lives</a> than known isotopes of these elements. It is predicted to appear as an "island" in the <a href="/facts/Chart_of_nuclides/wb9TQwN7">chart of nuclides</a>, separated from known <a href="/facts/Stable_nuclide/vC0VVvqN">stable</a> and long-lived <a href="/facts/Primordial_radionuclide/lFAUqHDv">primordial radionuclides</a>. Its theoretical existence is attributed to stabilizing effects of predicted "<a href="/facts/Magic_number_(physics)/v9PwXFzQ">magic numbers</a>" of <a href="/facts/Proton/clCjepXP">protons</a> and <a href="/facts/Neutron/oRCM1geb">neutrons</a> in the superheavy mass region.

Several predictions have been made regarding the exact location of the island of stability, though it is generally thought to center near <a href="/facts/Copernicium/EhgyBkg0">copernicium</a> and <a href="/facts/Flerovium/Aa7uGMuG">flerovium</a> isotopes in the vicinity of the predicted closed neutron <a href="/facts/Nuclear_shell_model/1Qgep495">shell</a> at N = 184. These models strongly suggest that the closed shell will confer further stability towards <a href="/facts/Nuclear_fission/LfkIylvm">fission</a> and <a href="/facts/Alpha_decay/rCsHNIUE">alpha decay</a>. While these effects are expected to be greatest near <a href="/facts/Atomic_number/bgAr581S">atomic number</a> Z = 114 (<a href="/facts/Flerovium/Aa7uGMuG">flerovium</a>) and N = 184, the region of increased stability is expected to encompass several neighboring elements, and there may also be additional islands of stability around heavier nuclei that are <a href="/facts/Doubly_magic/v9PwXFzQ">doubly magic</a> (having magic numbers of both protons and neutrons). Estimates of the stability of the nuclides within the island are usually around a half-life of minutes or days; some optimists propose half-lives on the order of millions of years.
Although the nuclear shell model predicting magic numbers has existed since the 1940s, the existence of long-lived superheavy nuclides has not been definitively demonstrated. Like the rest of the superheavy elements, the nuclides within the island of stability have never been found in nature; thus, they must be created artificially in a <a href="/facts/Nuclear_reaction/202yClUr">nuclear reaction</a> to be studied. Scientists have not found a way to carry out such a reaction, for it is likely that new types of reactions will be needed to populate nuclei near the center of the island. Nevertheless, the successful synthesis of superheavy elements up to Z = 118 (<a href="/facts/Oganesson/zs5MQDjV">oganesson</a>) with up to 177 neutrons demonstrates a slight stabilizing effect around elements <a href="/facts/Darmstadtium/etmwTLmP">110</a> to <a href="/facts/Flerovium/Aa7uGMuG">114</a> that may continue in heavier isotopes, consistent with the existence of the island of stability.

Island of stability open-in-new

Island of stability