Uranium-232

Uranium-232, 232U
General
Symbol232U
Namesuranium-232, U-232
Protons92
Neutrons140
Nuclide data
Half-life68.9 years
Parent isotopes236Pu (α)
232Np (β+)
232Pa (β−)
Decay products228Th
Isotopes of uranium
Complete table of nuclides

Uranium-232 (232
U
) is an isotope of uranium. It has a half-life of about 69 years. It is also made in the thorium cycle. Some scientists wanted to use 233U as the fissile material(something that does nuclear fission when it is hit by a neutron) for nuclear proliferation. However, 233U turns into Uranium-232 during nuclear fission, which turns into 208Tl. This isotope then emits a lot of gamma radiation. The gamma radiation makes 233U difficult to handle.[1]


Lighter:
uranium-231 		Uranium-232 is an
isotope of uranium 		Heavier:
uranium-233
Decay product of:
plutonium-236 (α)
neptunium-232 (β+)
protactinium-232 (β−) 		Decay chain
of uranium-232 		Decays to:
thorium-228 (α)

References

  1. ↑ Griffin, H. C. Natural Radioactive Decay Chains, Chapter 13 of Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry, Second Edition, Springer 2011, ISBN 978-1-4419-0719-6
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