关键词: 氙, 稀有气体, 高压化学, ¹²⁹Xe, Xe/Kr分离, Au-Xe键

Abstract: Xenon is often placed in the “inert gas” column of textbooks, which can easily suggest that it simply remains quiet under all conditions. In fact, “inert” describes xenon’s chemical reactivity only under particular conditions such as room temperature and pressure. Told in xenon’s first-person voice, this article presents four modern scientific episodes: forming compounds with iron and nickel under pressures comparable to those in Earth’s core; amplifying the nuclear magnetic resonance signal of stable ¹²⁹Xe for brain-tissue imaging; separating xenon from krypton with carefully designed porous materials; and forming direct bonds with gold in a special medium. Some episodes involve genuine chemical reactions, whereas others make use of physical properties such as nuclear spin, polarizability, and adsorption. Together, they show that xenon is not an absolutely passive gas and can display a more reactive side in different environments.

Key words: Xenon, Noble gas, High-pressure chemistry, ¹²⁹Xe, Xe/Kr separation, Au–Xe bond