Skip to main content

UBC

Neil Bartlett and the Reactive Noble Gases
Society: ACSMain Category: ChemicalSub Category: Frontiers of KnowledgeEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1962Dept of ChemistryVancouverState: BCZip: V6T 1Z1Country: CanadaWebsite: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/bartlettnoblegases.htmlCreator: Bartlett, Neil

In 1962 Neil Bartlett demonstrated the first reaction of a noble gas. The noble gas family of elements - helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon - had previously been regarded as inert. By combining xenon with a platinum fluoride, Bartlett created the first noble gas compound. This reaction began the field of noble gas chemistry, which became fundamental to the scientific understanding of the chemical bond. Noble gas compounds have helped create anti-tumor agents and have been used in lasers.

YearAdded:
2006
Image Credit: Image courtesy University of British Columbia Library.Image Caption: Neil Bartlett and the Reactive Noble GasesEra_date_from: 1962
Subscribe to UBC

Innovations

Neil Bartlett and the Reactive Noble Gases

In 1962 Neil Bartlett demonstrated the first reaction of a noble gas. The noble gas family of elements - helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon - had previously been regarded as inert. By combining xenon with a platinum fluoride, Bartlett created the first noble gas compound. This…

Read More

We hope you enjoyed this essay.

Please support America's only magazine of the history of engineering and innovation, and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to Invention & Technology.

Donate

Stay informed - subscribe to our newsletter.
The subscriber's email address.