On the fringe of the periodic table, element 113 — nihonium — is produced only in specialized accelerator labs and exists for fractions of a second. Researchers reconstruct its properties from brief decay chains and tiny event counts to learn how superheavy nuclei behave.
There are 6 Nihonium Isotopes, ranging from Nh-278 to Nh-286. For each isotope, the table below lists Half-life (s),Decay mode,Production reaction so you can compare stability and how each nuclide was synthesized — you’ll find these details below.
How are nihonium isotopes produced?
Nihonium isotopes are made in fusion-evaporation experiments: a heavy target nucleus is bombarded with a lighter ion beam, the nuclei fuse, and the excited compound nucleus sheds neutrons to form specific isotopes. The Production reaction column shows which target–projectile combinations yielded each isotope, and experiments typically require long beam times because production rates are extremely low.
Why do nihonium isotopes have such short half-lives?
These isotopes are far from the stable valley: their high proton counts create strong Coulomb repulsion and unfavorable neutron-to-proton ratios, so they decay quickly by alpha emission or spontaneous fission. The Half-life (s) and Decay mode columns below summarize how rapidly and by what processes each isotope transforms.
Nihonium Isotopes
| Isotope | Half-life (s) | Decay mode | Production reaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nh-278 | 0.0007 | Alpha decay | Decay product of Tennessine-282 |
| Nh-282 | 0.07 | Alpha decay | Decay product of Moscovium-286 |
| Nh-283 | 0.22 | Alpha decay | Decay product of Moscovium-287 |
| Nh-284 | 0.94 | Alpha decay | Bismuth-209 + Zinc-70 (cold fusion) |
| Nh-285 | 4.3 | Alpha decay | Decay product of Moscovium-289 |
| Nh-286 | 10 | Alpha decay, Spontaneous fission | Decay product of Moscovium-290 |
Images and Descriptions
Nh-278
The lightest known nihonium isotope, observed in the decay chain of tennessine-282. It is exceptionally unstable, decaying via alpha emission into roentgenium-274 in under a millisecond, demonstrating extreme instability far from the island of stability.
Nh-282
Observed as a decay product in the synthesis of moscovium, Nh-282 is highly unstable, lasting only about 70 milliseconds before undergoing alpha decay. Its consistent properties help confirm the nuclear characteristics of its heavier parents.
Nh-283
First synthesized in the early 2000s at Dubna as part of the moscovium-287 decay chain. This extremely short-lived alpha emitter provides crucial data for mapping the properties of superheavy nuclei near the “island of stability.”
Nh-284
A historically vital isotope, first synthesized by RIKEN in Japan in 2004. Its confirmed production and clear decay chain were the primary evidence used by IUPAC to officially recognize element 113 and grant its discoverers naming rights.
Nh-285
One of the more stable nihonium isotopes, with a half-life of several seconds. It was observed in experiments at Dubna as a daughter product in the decay chain of moscovium-289, providing key nuclear structure data.
Nh-286
The most stable known nihonium isotope, discovered at Dubna in the 2000s. Its relatively long half-life of about 10 seconds is a significant finding for scientists studying the nuclear physics of the “island of stability.”
