User talk:Jawknee24
Plutonium Isotopes
[edit]This is regarding my recent edit of the Plutonium Isotopes page specific to the Production and uses of Pu-242:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_plutonium#Production_and_uses
The previous text read:
Pu-242 has a particularly low cross section for thermal neutron capture; and it takes four neutron absorptions to become another fissile isotope (either curium-245 or Pu-241) and fission. (Italics mine)
However, both isotopes require 3 neutron captures. In addition, the text subsequently refers to an additional "fourth" neutron.
The transitions from Pu-242 as noted are: (Using the diagram on the same page)
Pu-242 +n → Pu-243 (neutron 1)
Pu-243 -β → Am-243
Am-243 +n → Am-244 (neutron 2)
Am-244 -β → Cm-244
Cm-244 +n → Cm-245 (neutron 3) (fissile)
Or the last step above replaced with:
Cm-244 -α → Pu-240
Pu-240 +n → Pu-241 (neutron 3) (fissile)
It's only after this that the "fourth" neutron is absorbed giving:
Cm-245 +n → Cm-246
or
Pu-241 +n → Pu-242
Thus the 4th neutron beyond becoming fissile.
Also, earlier in:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes_of_plutonium#Notable_Isotopes
is this:
Plutonium-242 is not fissile, not very fertile (requiring 3 more neutron captures to become fissile), ...
Jawknee24 (talk) 10:52, 14 July 2017 (UTC)
Jawknee24, you are invited to the Teahouse!
[edit]
|
Hi Jawknee24! Thanks for contributing to Wikipedia. We hope to see you there!
Delivered by HostBot on behalf of the Teahouse hosts 20:03, 14 July 2017 (UTC) |