Rutherfordium

The discovery of this element is disputed by the Institute of Dubna (ex-USSR) and the University of Berkeley research teams.

During 1964, the Dubna researchers isolated the element 104, through collision reactions between Pu 242 and Ne 22 ions. They suggested the name Kurchatovium and symbol Ku, in honour of Igor Vasilevich Kurchatov, chief member of the Soviet Nuclear Research. However, in 1969 the Berkeley team succeeded in isolating an isotope of element 104 involving the collision of Cf 249 and C 12. This team proposed the name Rutherfordium (Rf) in honor of the New-Zealand born physicist Ernest Rutherford, whose works was crucial to the early understanding of the atomic nucleus. Rutherfordium is now the preferred IUPAC name.