Neutron Capture by Uranium-238

概述

Uranium-238 captures a neutron to form uranium-239, which beta decays (23.5 min) to neptunium-239, which beta decays (2.36 days) to fissile plutonium-239. This breeding reaction produces more fissile material in fast breeder reactors than is consumed, potentially extending nuclear fuel reserves by a factor of 60.

参与者

日常示例

In every nuclear reactor, some U-238 converts to Pu-239 by this process, contributing about one-third of the energy produced.

工业重要性

铀-238的中子俘获增殖是核燃料循环的核心，快中子增殖堆（如俄罗斯BN-800）通过将天然铀中99.3%的U-238转化为可裂变钚，大幅提高核燃料利用率。