Abstract: Synthesizing new nuclides and expanding the chart of nuclides is one of the frontier research areas in nuclear physics. With the development of heavy-ion accelerators and radioactive ion beam facilities, significant achievements have been made in the synthesis of elements. Currently, Z=118 element has been successfully synthesized. However, exploring the heavier region faces significant challenges. Fusion reaction is the traditional method for the synthesis of superheavy elements. Multinucleon transfer reaction is the only way to the “island of stability”, and it is also the most likely method for large-scale synthesis of superheavy elements in the future. Actinide targets play a crucial role in these reactions. The neutron capture reactions for synthesizing actinide nuclei were reviewed, including both slow neutron capture process (s-process) and rapid neutron capture process (r-process). The elements from atomic number 93 to 100 synthesized through neutron capture reactions were listed. The heaviest element that can be synthesized through neutron capture reactions is Fm. The actinide targets used for synthesizing superheavy elements, such as ²³⁷Np, ²⁴⁴Pu, ²⁴³Am, ²⁴⁸Cm, ²⁴⁹Bk, and ²⁴⁹Cf. The synthesis status, properties, and applications of these targets were respectively summarized. The researches on the synthesis of Z>100 elements, as well as the latest progress on the discovery of the new elements 119 and 120, were reviewed. Currently, there are many reactors, which can provide high atomic number actinide nuclei, such as High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) in USA, and SM-3 reactor at the Research Institute of Advanced Reactors (RIAR) in Russia. The Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR) in France is under construction, and this reactor is expected to be one of the most outstanding research reactors in Europe in terms of irradiation and technological capabilities. High Flux Engineering Test Reactor (HFETR) is the highest power operating high-flux engineering test reactor in China. The Tsinghua High Flux Reactor (THFR) in China is under construction, and this reactor will also provide heavy actinide nuclei in the future. The difficulties in synthesizing of Z=119 and 120 superheavy elements were outlined, and the suggestions of synthesizing these elements were given. Due to the extremely low cross sections for superheavy elements with Z>118, it is much difficult to synthesize new elements by using the existing actinide targets with ⁴⁸Ca beam. Currently, the heaviest target which can be generated by powerful high-flux isotope reactor is ²⁵²Cf. Therefore, the beams heavier than ⁴⁸Ca were required to produce new superheavy elements through fusion reactions. In addition, the large-scale scientific facilities can increase the yields of heavy actinide isotopes, such as ²³⁸Pu, ²⁴²Am, ²⁴⁴Cm, ²⁴⁶Cm, ²⁴⁹Bk, ²⁵²Cf, ²⁵³Es, and ²⁵⁷Fm. Additionally, the superconducting linear accelerator of the High Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF), is capable of providing extremely intense heavy ion beams.