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Nuclear weapons: Difference between revisions
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** <sup>233</sup>U is fissile, and can be bred from <sup>232</sup>Th. Without subsequent physical enrichment, however, it'll be contaminated to some degree by: | ** <sup>233</sup>U is fissile, and can be bred from <sup>232</sup>Th. Without subsequent physical enrichment, however, it'll be contaminated to some degree by: | ||
*** <sup>232</sup>U (n + <sup>233</sup>U -> <sup>232</sup>U + 2n, <sup>232</sup> β− -> <sup>232</sup>U), a retarded younger brother notable for meager lifespan and γ-rich decay chain (though note that Georgia Tech researchers have fashioned <sup>232</sup>UBe<sub>13</sub> (uranium beryllide) [http://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/14650 neutron initiators], so it has that). | *** <sup>232</sup>U (n + <sup>233</sup>U -> <sup>232</sup>U + 2n, <sup>232</sup> β− -> <sup>232</sup>U), a retarded younger brother notable for meager lifespan and γ-rich decay chain (though note that Georgia Tech researchers have fashioned <sup>232</sup>UBe<sub>13</sub> (uranium beryllide) [http://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/14650 neutron initiators], so it has that). | ||
** <sup>235</sup>U is fissile, but requires enrichment infrastructure (no plausible breeding path). Given sufficient mass of highly-enriched uranium, it's a real dream to work with, and criticality is about as difficult as lighting a Sparkler. With a 700+ million year half-life, it's not going anywhere, either. Modern cores employ <sup>239</sup> for three reasons: (a) smaller critical mass (b) beancounting and (c) style. | ** <sup>235</sup>U is fissile, but requires enrichment infrastructure (no plausible breeding path). Given sufficient mass of highly-enriched uranium, it's a real dream to work with, and criticality is about as difficult as lighting a Sparkler. With a 700+ million year half-life, it's not going anywhere, either. Modern cores employ <sup>239</sup>Pu for three reasons: (a) smaller critical mass (b) beancounting and (c) style. | ||
** <sup>239</sup>Pu is fissile, and can be chemically extracted from | ** <sup>238</sup>U is not fissile, but can be bred into <sup>239</sup>Pu. Furthermore, it 'can' be fissioned by the 14.7 MeV neutron resulting from D-T fusion, and there's an absolute ton of it. | ||
** <sup>239</sup>Pu is fissile, and can be chemically extracted from activated actinides (primarily <sup>238</sup>U breeding). Without subsequent physical enrichment, however, it'll be contaminated to some degree by: | |||
*** <sup>240</sup>Pu becomes a <sup>241</sup>Pu rather than compound {<sup>241</sup>Pu} (fission precursor), meaning two neutrons (and associated time) to yield a fission event. Predetonation hazard due to spontaneous fissions. Burnable in a recycling reactor, but undesirable for weapon material. | *** <sup>240</sup>Pu becomes a <sup>241</sup>Pu rather than compound {<sup>241</sup>Pu} (fission precursor), meaning two neutrons (and associated time) to yield a fission event. Predetonation hazard due to spontaneous fissions. Burnable in a recycling reactor, but undesirable for weapon material. | ||
*** <sup>241</sup>Pu is highly fissile. Undesirable in weapons due to short half-life (α to useless <sup>241</sup>Am). | *** <sup>241</sup>Pu is highly fissile. Undesirable in weapons due to short half-life (α to useless <sup>241</sup>Am). | ||
