Isotopes of moscovium

Isotopes of moscovium (₁₁₅Mc)

Main isotopes Decay abun­dance half-life (t1/2) mode pro­duct 286Mc synth 20 ms α 282Nh 287Mc synth 38 ms α 283Nh 288Mc synth 193 ms α 284Nh 289Mc synth 250 ms α 285Nh 290Mc synth 650 ms α 286Nh

Moscovium (₁₁₅Mc) is a synthetic element, and thus a standard atomic weight cannot be given. Like all synthetic elements, it has no stable isotopes. The first isotope to be synthesized was ²⁸⁸Mc in 2004. There are four known radioisotopes from ²⁸⁷Mc to ²⁹⁰Mc.

List of isotopes

nuclide symbol	Z(p)	N(n)	isotopic mass (u)	half-life	decay mode(s)	daughter isotope(s)	nuclear spin
287Mc	115	172	287.19070(52)#	32(+155−14) ms	α	283Nh
288Mc	115	173	288.19274(62)#	87(+105−30) ms	α	284Nh
289Mc	115	174	289.19363(89)#	220 ms	α	285Nh
290Mc	115	175	290.19598(73)#	16 ms	α	286Nh

Notes

• Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from systematic trends. Spins with weak assignment arguments are enclosed in parentheses.
• Uncertainties are given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits. Uncertainty values denote one standard deviation, except isotopic composition and standard atomic mass from IUPAC, which use expanded uncertainties.

Nucleosynthesis

Chronology of isotope discovery

Isotope	Year discovered	Discovery reaction
287Mc	2003	243Am(48Ca,4n)
288Mc	2003	243Am(48Ca,3n)
289Mc	2009	249Bk(48Ca,4n)
290Mc	2009	249Bk(48Ca,3n)

Target-projectile combinations

The table below contains various combinations of targets and projectiles which could be used to form compound nuclei with Z=115. Each entry is acombination for which calculations have provided estimates for cross section yields from various neutron evaporation channels. The channel with the highest expected yield is given.

Target	Projectile	CN	Attempt result
208Pb	75As	283Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
232Th	55Mn	287Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
238U	51V	289Mc	Failure to date
237Np	50Ti	287Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
244Pu	45Sc	289Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
243Am	48Ca	291Mc	Successful reaction
241Am	48Ca	289Mc	Planned reaction
248Cm	41K	289Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
249Bk	40Ar	289Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted
249Cf	37Cl	286Mc	Reaction yet to be attempted

Hot fusion

Hot fusion reactions are processes that create compound nuclei at high excitation energy (~40–50 MeV, hence "hot"), leading to a reduced probability of survival from fission. The excited nucleus then decays to the ground state via the emission of 3–5 neutrons. Fusion reactions utilizing ⁴⁸Ca nuclei usually produce compound nuclei with intermediate excitation energies (~30–35 MeV) and are sometimes referred to as "warm" fusion reactions. This leads, in part, to relatively high yields from these reactions.

²³⁸U(⁵¹V,xn)^289−xMc

There are strong indications that this reaction was performed in late 2004 as part of a uranium(IV) fluoride target test at the GSI. No reports have been published suggesting that no product atoms were detected, as anticipated by the team.

²⁴³Am(⁴⁸Ca,xn)^291−xMc (x=2,3,4)

This reaction was first performed by the team in Dubna in July–August 2003. In two separate runs they were able to detect 3 atoms of ²⁸⁸Mc and a single atom of ²⁸⁷Mc. The reaction was studied further in June 2004 in an attempt to isolate the descendant ²⁶⁸Db from the ²⁸⁸Uup decay chain. After chemical separation of a +4/+5 fraction, 15 SF decays were measured with a lifetime consistent with ²⁶⁸Db. In order to prove that the decays were from dubnium-268, the team repeated the reaction in August 2005 and separated the +4 and +5 fractions and further separated the +5 fractions into tantalum-like and niobium-like ones. Five SF activities were observed, all occurring in the +5 fractions and none in the tantalum-like fractions, proving that the product was indeed isotopes of dubnium.

In a series of experiments between October 2010 – February 2011, scientists at the FLNR studied this reaction at a range of excitation energies. They were able to detect 21 atoms of ²⁸⁸Mc and one atom of ²⁸⁹Mc, from the 2n exit channel. This latter result was used to support the synthesis of tennessine. The 3n excitation function was completed with a maximum at ~8 pb. The data was consistent with that found in the first experiments in 2003.

Reaction yields

The table below provides cross-sections and excitation energies for hot fusion reactions producing moscovium isotopes directly. Data in bold represent maxima derived from excitation function measurements. + represents an observed exit channel.

Projectile	Target	CN	2n	3n	4n	5n
48Ca	243Am	291Mc		3.7 pb, 39.0 MeV	0.9 pb, 44.4 MeV

Theoretical calculations

Decay characteristics

Theoretical calculations using a quantum-tunneling model support the experimental alpha-decay half-lives.

Evaporation residue cross sections

The table below contains various target-projectile combinations for which calculations have provided estimates for cross section yields from various neutron evaporation channels. The channel with the highest expected yield is given.

MD = multi-dimensional; DNS = Di-nuclear system; σ = cross section

Target	Projectile	CN	Channel (product)	σmax	Model	Ref
243Am	48Ca	291Mc	3n (288Mc)	3 pb	MD
243Am	48Ca	291Mc	4n (287Mc)	2 pb	MD
243Am	48Ca	291Mc	3n (288Mc)	1 pb	DNS
242Am	48Ca	290Mc	3n (287Mc)	2.5 pb	DNS

References

• Isotope masses from:
  • M. Wang; G. Audi; A. H. Wapstra; F. G. Kondev; M. MacCormick; X. Xu; et al. (2012). "The AME2012 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs and references" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 36 (12): 1603–2014. Bibcode:2012ChPhC..36....3M. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/36/12/003.
  • G. Audi; A. H. Wapstra; C. Thibault; J. Blachot; O. Bersillon (2003). "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties" (PDF). Nuclear Physics A. 729: 3–128. Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A. doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-23. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from:
  • J. R. de Laeter; J. K. Böhlke; P. De Bièvre; H. Hidaka; H. S. Peiser; K. J. R. Rosman; P. D. P. Taylor (2003). "Atomic weights of the elements. Review 2000 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 75 (6): 683–800. doi:10.1351/pac200375060683.
  • M. E. Wieser (2006). "Atomic weights of the elements 2005 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 78 (11): 2051–2066. doi:10.1351/pac200678112051. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |laysummary= ignored (help)
• Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources. See editing notes on this article's talk page.
  • G. Audi; A. H. Wapstra; C. Thibault; J. Blachot; O. Bersillon (2003). "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties" (PDF). Nuclear Physics A. 729: 3–128. Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A. doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-23. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  • National Nuclear Data Center. "NuDat 2.1 database". Brookhaven National Laboratory. Retrieved September 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  • N. E. Holden (2004). "Table of the Isotopes". In D. R. Lide (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (85th ed.). CRC Press. Section 11. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |nopp= ignored (|no-pp= suggested) (help)