Structural properties of rutherfordium: An ab-initio study

► The solid properties of the new element Rf have been found for the first time. ► The density functional theory is used including spin-orbit interactions. ► The atomic volume of Rf is found to be expanded compared to its homologue Hf. ► It is shown that Rf will have different phase transformations than Hf under pressure. ► The absence of the omega phase in Rf and its presence in Hf is explained