Natural xenon compounds

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Kimika

Xenon is an inert gas very sparse in nature that does not react with other elements. All xenon compounds obtained so far are synthesized in the laboratory, reacting with strong acids not present in nature. A team of researchers from the University of Helsinki, looking for a xenon compound that would be possible to find in nature, has reacted xenon gas with water.

Upon coming into contact with a film composed of xenon crystals at very low temperatures with water molecules irradiated by laser, they discovered that in the cavities of the film a new compound was formed: one of the bonds between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms of the water molecule was retained by a xenon atom.

The compound breaks down to -233°C and, although the coldest places on the ground are much hotter, about -73°C, due to the enormous pressure on the backgrounds of the thick polar ice sheets, these Finnish researchers expect what this type of compounds could be found in nature.