Superheavy Element Flerovium (Element 114) Is a Volatile Metal

The electronic structure of superheavy elements (Z ≥ 104) and their chemical properties are dominated by relativistic effects. Recently two superheavy elements were recognized by the IUPAC and named flerovium (Fl, Z = 114) and livermorium (Lv, Z = 116). Fl is the heaviest element with which chemical experiments were performed. Here, we report on experiments that help answering the long-standing question whether Fl behaves rather like a noble gas or like a metal.