Reactor-grade
Reactor-grade plutonium is a type of plutonium that is produced in a nuclear reactor. It is different from weapons-grade plutonium in that it contains a higher concentration of plutonium-240, which makes it less suitable for use in nuclear weapons.
Production[edit | edit source]
Reactor-grade plutonium is produced in a nuclear reactor by the neutron irradiation of uranium-238. The uranium-238 absorbs a neutron and transforms into uranium-239, which then undergoes two beta decays to form plutonium-239. If the plutonium-239 remains in the reactor, it can absorb additional neutrons and transform into plutonium-240, plutonium-241, and plutonium-242.
Characteristics[edit | edit source]
Reactor-grade plutonium contains a higher concentration of plutonium-240 than weapons-grade plutonium. Plutonium-240 has a high spontaneous fission rate, which leads to a high level of neutron emission. This makes reactor-grade plutonium less suitable for use in nuclear weapons, as the high neutron emission can cause a pre-detonation.
Use[edit | edit source]
Despite its unsuitability for weapons use, reactor-grade plutonium can still be used as a fuel in nuclear reactors. It can be mixed with uranium or thorium to form mixed oxide fuel (MOX), which can then be used in a light water reactor or a fast neutron reactor.
See also[edit | edit source]
Reactor-grade Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD