Nihonium
Nihonium:
A view of the Nihhonium Monument at Riken laboratory where it was discovered. [Kestrel / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
Facts about Nihonium:
- Nihonium: Nihonium is a synthetic element, belonging to Group 13 (boron group) of the periodic table. However, it is expected that Nihonium(I) cations would behave more like Silver than the other Group 13 elements.
- Fun fact about Nihonium: Nihonium was discovered by a team of researchers at Riken in Wako, Japan and is named for the island country.
- Chemical symbol: Nh
- Atomic number: 113
A crystal structure celebrating Nihonium:
The silver atoms (dark grey spheres) are bonded through organic molecules in extended (polymeric) chains. Here silver is in the +1 oxidation state.
Facts about this structure:
- Formula: (C5 H10 Ag N O2)n
- Structure name: catena-[(μ-L-valinato-N,O)-silver(i)]
- Fun fact about the structure: This silver(I) structure published by a team of Japanese researchers shows antimicrobial properties. While Nihonium is expected to behave like Silver in its +1 oxidation state, it is unclear what its antimicrobial properties may be.
- CSD refcode: ZAPDEC (What’s this?)
- Associated publication: Y. Takagi, Y. Okamoto, C. Inoue, N.C. Kasuga, K. Nomiya, Acta Crystallographica Section E: Crystallographic Communications, 2017, 73, 354, DOI: 10.1107/S2056989017001815
More about Nihonium:
As a synthetic element with a very short half-life, there is not much information about Nihonium. While it belongs to the same group as Boron, Alumiunum, Gallium, Indium and Thallium, it is expected that the +1 cation of Nihonium will behave more like silver. For this entry, we chose a Silver(I) complex published by a team of Japanese researchers. The Silver(I) complex has antimicrobial properties, though Nihonium(I) is not expected to be stable enough to form such complexes. It is extremely radioactive, which may carry antimicrobial effects – though for a completely different reason!
Learn More About the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) in Crystals Project:
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A 3D visualization showing Nihonium in real crystal structures: