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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry Forum => Topic started by: jubba on August 16, 2006, 01:10:31 AM

Title: production of transuranic elements
Post by: jubba on August 16, 2006, 01:10:31 AM

I read that transuranic elements(the first few) are produced through fast neutron capture.
Is this true?

Also, where are they generally made one source i read said the neutrons are obtained from the fission of uranium but other sources particle accelerators were used to produce transuranic elements.

Thanks

Title: Re: production of transuranic elements
Post by: HappyFeet on April 07, 2007, 03:34:55 AM

From what I can remember.Transuranic elements (elements with atomic number greater than 92) are produced when non-fissionable high atomic number elements e.g. U-238 are bombarded by high velocity neutrons or small nuclei e.g. He, C-14. The intermediate product does not split but decays to a transuranic element.

e.g. ²³⁸ ₉₂U + ¹₀n-----> ²³⁹₉₂U --------> ²³⁹₉₃Np+⁰_-1e

Title: Re: production of transuranic elements
Post by: gippgig on April 10, 2007, 01:37:45 PM

They can be - that's what a fast breeder reactor does. However, it is more common to use slow neutrons.
Ordinary nuclear power plants produce some of the lighter transuranium elements (one of the more
troublesome components of nuclear waste) but the deliberate production of transuranium elements up
to fermium often uses special reactors designed to have particularly high neutron fluxes.
Transuranium elements beyond fermium are produced using particle accelerators.