What is the difference between plutonium-238 and 239?
Plutonium-239, the isotope found in the spent MOX fuel, is much more radioactive than the depleted Uranium-238 in the fuel. Plutonium emits alpha radiation, a highly ionizing form of radiation, rather than beta or gamma radiation. When alpha-emitters get inside cells, on the other hand, they are extremely hazardous.
How does plutonium 239 decay?
Decay Mode Plutonium-239 decays through spontaneous fission while emitting alpha particles.
What isotope is produced by the decay of 239 94 Pu?
The U-239, in turn, decays by emitting a beta particle to neptunium-239, which gives off another beta particle. Since each beta decay turns a neutron into a proton, these two beta decays suffice to turn a uranium atom into one of plutonium.
How long does it take for plutonium 239 to decay?
Pu-239 has a half-life of 24,100 years and Pu-241’s half-life is 14.4 years. Substances with shorter half-lives decay more quickly than those with longer half-lives, so they emit more energetic radioactivity. Like any radioactive isotopes, plutonium isotopes transform when they decay.
What happens when U-238 is turned into Pu-239?
U-235 in this “fuel” released neutrons that struck U-238, converting some of it into U-239. The U-239 then decayed in a two-step process, first turning into neptunium-239 (Np-239) and subsequently into Pu-239. To limit the build-up of unwanted byproducts, the reaction would be stopped after only a small amount of the uranium was consumed.
Which is more fissile U-235 or U-238?
U- 238 has an even mass, and odd nuclei are more fissile because the extra neutron adds energy – more than what is required to fission the resulting nucleus.
How is Pu-239 produced in a nuclear reactor?
SRS produced the Pu-239 from a combination of uranium-235 (U-235) and U-238 in the reactors. U-235 in this “fuel” released neutrons that struck U-238, converting some of it into U-239.
Why is U-238 used more in nuclear reactors?
U- 238 has an even mass, and odd nuclei are more fissile because the extra neutron adds energy – more than what is required to fission the resulting nucleus. because of the large amount of energy needed, U- 238 will not normally undergo fission in a nuclear reactor. however, U- 238 can also form Pu- 239,…
