Copernicium (Cn)

Unknown

Copernicium is a volatile superheavy metal that may exist as a liquid at room temperature like mercury, and with [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s², copernicium (half-life 28 seconds for Cn-285) has filled 6d and 7s shells. Relativistic effects make its binding energy to surfaces extremely weak, predicted to be even more volatile than mercury.

Key metrics

Density14g/cm³predicted

Melting point283Kpredicted

Boiling point357Kpredicted

Electronegativity1.6Paulingpredicted

Discovery

1996discovered

Discovered by: GSI Darmstadt
Reactivity profile: Noble-metal-like behavior
Reactivity: Low
Bonding: Metallic

Electron configuration

\textcolor{#6b7280}{[Rn]}\; \textcolor{#a855f7}{5_{f}^{14}}\; \textcolor{#22c55e}{6_{d}^{10}}\; \textcolor{#ef4444}{7_{s}^{2}}

[Rn] 5f14 6d10 7s2

Wave function

\Psi_{\text{Cn}} \approx \frac{1}{\sqrt{112!}} \det \left| \chi_1(\mathbf{r}_1) \dots \chi_{112}(\mathbf{r}_{112}) \right|

Probability density $|\Psi|^2$ across the Cn valence shell.

Crystal structure

Face-Centered Cubic

Lattice constantsa = 1.00

Cell anglesα = β = γ = 90°

Coordination number12

Atoms per cell4

Atomic packing factor0.74

Physical properties

Atomic radius: 122 pmpredicted
Ionization energy: 1150 kJ/molpredicted
Electron affinity: 0 kJ/molpredicted
Crystal structure: Face-centered cubic (predicted)

Oxidation statespredicted

Acid/base

Neutral

Strongly acidicStrongly basic

State at 25 °CLiquid

283 K357 K298 K

predicted