Measure the half-life decay products
When an unstable isotope decays, you can do it directly (to a stable element), or you can continue to decline through their "children." The first case would be given for example in the K-40 and the second in the U-233 or Th-232, to name elements.
As these products undergo a transmutation (change of chemical element), often can be separated from the progeny of their products, to measure the lifetime of these.
A typical example is the Ba-137m generator very popular in USA, but not alone.
The PFDC has left us a generator of Pa-134m, with a half-life of 77 seconds,
website for all who want to do it home. The Pa-134m is obtained from U-238, DU typical, fairly easy to get.
But there are still more generators of this type. As Thorium-232 blankets have seen that are quite popular, can be a generator of this type will not be fácilmente.El generator Pa-134m, as this is not part of Thorium, but will be Bi-212.
The procedure is easy: enter the mat in 40 ml 1-3 M hydrochloric acid and allowed to react for several hours to ensure full.
So, just need a bit of nickel, which we will introduce in the solution of HCl, best while hot. What we took a few seconds, dry it well (do not worry, you hardly pollute), and start measuring.
would have to leave a couple of hundreds of CPM. The Bi-212 has a life of 1 hour., So a day should fail completely. But do not worry if this is not true ... The Bi-212 decays by 64% a beta particle emitting Po-212, with an average life of 0.2 us by an alpha particle decays to Pb-208 (stable) . The other 36% are Tl-208, which decays by alpha particle Pb-208.
The Tl-208 to decay emitting a photon at 2.2 MeV, just why the nuclear industry no one wants U-233, for how difficult it is to stop gamma rays.
While we measure the half-life of Bi-212, we can do with a table like the PFDC (just not every 10 seconds. But every 15 min.), We hardly offset the Tl-208 accounts, the yes they will achieve will screw us calculate the activity of Bi-212, and that because it can decay to Po-212 and Tl-208, we need an energy analyzer.
timely scientific explanation: this is due to the known effect of lead, bismuth and Po tend to settle in these electropositive metals such as nickel in this case.
When I made this thorianite experiment I did, so I guess that should come as a blanket of thorium.
By the way, you can use any nickel-plated metal, pure nickel is not necessary.
Salu2!
Radioisotopes for Li betavoltaicas
betavoltaicas batteries are batteries that transform nuclear beta radiation directly into electricity usable.
Radioisotopes that can be used for these batteries must meet several requirements, including having an acceptable half-life (several years). If the half-life is very short, the battery will escasa.Por hand, if the lifetime is very long, we will need a lot of material to give us a current acceptable.
Another requirement, equally important, is that it is a pure beta emitter. Gamma radiation shielding required, making the heavier and larger battery. In addition, gamma radiation causing the electrons moving decrease of the final efficiency.
These batteries are extremely inefficient at the moment, but already sold some (not very powerful, of course) Tritium in BetaBatt .
They come in several forms: direct (using vacuum) through the dielectric, using PN diode, excimer mixture, resonant ... BataBatt are those of PN diode, or something, because the tritium is in contact with a pad of silica micro-perforado.De anyway, now do not plan to discuss the existing types of nuclear batteries. Without further
roll, here are a list of pros and cons of each radioisotope usable:
Tritium :
Tritium is a radioisotope of hydrogen with a half life of 12 years issued by a beta particle to 18 KeV.
+ Very safe.
+ There is a great experience with tritium handling.
+ is the most development takes years.
"It's expensive (2 / Ci)
" His weak radiation causes need to obtain 1 W 50000 Ci, and That's a 100% efficiency
.
"When the boom begins nuclear fusion will become so expensive that all companies that use Tritium
radioisotope will have to change if they want to exist.
Carbon-14:
It occurs in nature as it is formed by cosmic radiation steadily, generating 2.5 kg / year worldwide. Issues
156.4 KeV beta particles and has a half life of about 5715 years.
+ is found in nature in large quantities
+ power would allow for thousands of small devices.
"Very, very expensive. It is almost impossible to extract from nature, because the methods that exist are so inefficient that the C-14 only commercially developed in nuclear reactors.
Nickel-63:
is a metal that is obtained from the activation products from nuclear reactors. It has a half life of 100.1 years, and beta radiation is 66.95 KeV.
+ is easily obtained in large quantities.
+ solve some of the problematic of nuclear waste as it would be used and would not be buried and stored in pools.
+ Batteries have a long life.
+ has already been successfully tested and is sold electrlíticamente deposited on a metal plate.
+ Deposited in this manner, it is very difficult to introduction into the environment.
-Radiochemistry is very dangerous.
Krypton-85:
is a noble gas with a half life of about 10 years and emits beta radiation to 687 KeV. Good
+ half-life (not too short nor too long). + Radiation
powerful (To achieve Watt will need 40 times less than the Tritium Curios).
+ Chemically inert.
+ When gas, if leak if the amount is small is dissolved in the atmosphere to levels not dangerous.
+ Very cheap (0.20 / Ci, and in large amounts over the price is lowered). + Very efficient
excímers mixtures (Kr-85 + halogen). Ultraviolet light emitted can be exploited by nuclear battery, while the electrons (which have not been stopped) can be exploited in the traditional way (diode PN).
-cause third degree burns on the skin.
"If large amounts are inhaled, cause death in minutes by waterlogging of the lungs.
"His strong radiation damage of dielectrics and semi-conductors (inability to use such a battery directly BataBatt lasting more than 1 year without break). Danger
-gamma emission (half shield required.)
Strontium-90 :
is an abundant fission product. Has a half life of 30 years, and beta particles are of 546 KeV. But the decline, decay in Y-90, which is also unstable. It has a half life of 64 hours and beta particles are 2.2 MeV, which is much energía.Finalmente, Zr-90 decays, it is stable.
+ is able to generate much energy.
+ has already been used, but in thermo-generators, because the heat generated in large quantities.
+ Very abundant.
+ solve some of the problems of nuclear waste storage to be used.
+ Very cheap.
-The Y-90 emits gamma radiation.
-Radiochemistry very dangerous.
powerful -damaging radiation and semicontuctores dielectrics.
Promethium-147:
Rare Earth with 2.6 year half life and emits radiation at 224 keV.
+ is under investigation. Very promising. Good
+ half-life, perhaps little as needed.
+ Cheap (0.50 / Ci).
+ serves no biological function, making it safe.
+ easily Usable in any battery, its radiation does not damage the components.
"The problem of being solid, can be manipulated by terrorists to make a dirty bomb.
Well, so far the most usable. Of course, the end is going to impose the tritium, which look silly.
I see much future in Pm-147, which should be used along the Ni-63 to nuclear batteries. Never good to over-reliance on a single radioisotope.
The Kr-85 can also be used, provided it is well encapsulated and does not require much activity.
Salu2!
PS: I can not dismiss without recommending this great PDF on batteries betavoltaicas.
light source using Po-210
Good!
Today I'll teach you to make a light sentence (who says life, says he is 8 months ...) of our friend, Po-210, a close friend of Litvinenko xD (is that I have a spark ...).
Incidentally, this same idea I have given científicosaficionados forums, which has not plagiarized.
The first thing is to make us a electrstático eliminator. It's like a brush with a very fine hairs and one or two golden plates on top. It's like this:
For about 40 dollars (35 euros plus shipping and unlicensed) or you can buy one, ejmplo from this page.
Then, Strip off the two gold plaques that is (are hidden destro of aluminum bars.'ll Be something like:
This image has been taken from Theodore Gray's website, highly recommended site. The only thing you have to do is paint the active face (which no adhesive, come on) with a phosphorescent paint based on zinc sulphide. In this painting you can find eBay.com putting "glow paint." Although in reality it has no zinc sulphide, but I guess it will remain the same. Also you can choose from different colors, as querais.Y if not, then acercadlo something that glows in the dark, not need to buy paint.
Since I have not done it, do not I can upload an image, but the truth is you have to shine a lot, even in broad daylight. As you see, easy and simple (and for the whole family!).
Salu2!
Plutonium Uranium Isolate
This topic almost seems a taboo subject, and that is that bothers me a lot.
is a very expensive and complicated process, especially when you have to remove several hundred tons of fuel used, together with fission products.
But if we want to remove it, here I give a little help to begin to separate (it is very expensive to remove impurities and then isolate pure plutonium, ProQuad is a very active metal.
But before I have to give you bad news: Plutonium source has to be a cylinder of MOX fuel or enriched uranium yaUSADO. Because while bombarding uranium with neutrons, the plutonium produced is almost undetectable, so it's worth, although the method mentioned here to obtain even small traces. It's a very simple but also very old (used for some time).
MOX fuel From:
is the best, especially if it be unused. If used, apply the second method.
This fuel contains only U-238, U-235 (0.2%) and 3% for Pu, with a 6% Pu-240 the latter.
As we see, there is much plutonium, and even if you have a single cylinder and will have a considerable amount.
Here's what you ought to do: 1-Dissolve
fuel in HNO3 (nitric acid) 1.5M at a temperature of 60 º C, for days.
2-Once dissolved, heat until it is just the nitrated uranium and plutonium.
3-dissolve it in distilled water and pass the solution through a filter, but not absolutely necessary. 4-Id
adding HNO3 solution until a 0.1-0.2M.
5-Add a little (a teaspoon approx.) Bismuth phosphate and precipitate plutonium, not uranium.
And I'm good, maybe we can get the pure plutonium (metal):
6-filter the precipitate and hechadlo in hydrofluoric acid solution low concentration (is that the acid tends to have bad milk) and very, very small quantities. 7-Hervidlo
(beware of steam) until the precious plutonium fluoride. Buying
8-ordinary light bulb in a Mercadona or wherever you want.
9-Break up carefully bombilla.En glass filament, put the plutonium.
10-To do this we would need to vacuum, but as the average amateur does not usually have (like me), but we are looking forward to isolate the plutonium without forming oxide, we use CO2 (the gas in the Coca-Cola).
You ought to tighten the Bulb in a socket or solder wires directly to Bulb.
Then lay your bulb in a completely closed container (the cables thou must pass by the hole and then covering with glue). We can fuck a 5l bottle of water, but no water.
CO2 is heavier than air so it will be replaced if, for example at the bottom of the container and put a carbonated beverage that produces CO2 we leave, or better yet, put alcohol or acetone in the background, will be in cap cylinder and a burning match.
stick a flash. Then quickly close the bottle with the stopper and connect in potalámparas (which is inside the bottle, lest we forget) to electrical current. The filament will turn red hot and melt. If you take more than 2 seconds to melt remove plug.
11-We take the bulb running, and see how silver bubbles have formed in the filament. We
a couple of hits and the plutonium will be falling from the filament (although this may have been fused together with the plutonium).
12-We keep our silver and then dense Plutonium in kerosene, otherwise they will oxidize and are not nice, although it also fissile xD.
Note: Of course, if you have a CO2 canister from those used in bars or argon, do not hesitate to use it. And I have to say that the flash method with alcohol or acetone quegenra much water vapor, so I recommend waiting for a poco.Además condense, so we have some empty.
From Spent Fuel
If you have a pellet MOX spent fuel, nor go near him because he's very active. I better give it away, OK? XD
But now seriously, spent MOX fuel not try it, can cost you your health in the medium and even short term.
If Uranium enriched to 3% (as almost all the world's nuclear power plants) will be less active and more secure (although I would put me in the mouth).
spent Uranium containing 1% of plutonium, MOX has used a lot (sometimes even 15%).
The problem is that first is highly recommended diced, I would not do anything but go out with many Plutonium fission products.
The process is identical to MOX unburned, except for a couple of steps before.
1-Wash the fuel in plenty of commercial caustic soda. That would be better if it was in powder form, of course.
2-Heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. 3-Filter
all the crap that has come out, and wash the cylinder with water.
4-Do the same but with sodium carbonate instead of soda.
5-How clean is more difficult if you follow the steps as above, or you can try LaF2 phosphoric acid, although this did not think it works.
Well that's it. And Indeed, a MOX fuel will be used Plutonium Americium and Curium, quedais warned, though this will make more nuclear fuel.
Salu2!
Po-210: I warned
First of all, I apologize for the delay in upgrading my blog.Gracias to those I read (even though few!).
Not long ago I made a warning about the use of polonium as a terrorist weapon. And see who has since passed poco.Y warn you.
only to clarify two things: 1-Russia
will happen Polonio terrorists, as about the plutonium. And Polonius will be composed by the most volatile.
2-The dose of polonium used to kill the former spy's life was worth 10,000,000 million.
This is because Russia has enough nuclear reactor synthesizing polonium, and bismuth is not as expensive.
just wanted to clarify these points, and now write a very simple way to isolate plutonium from uranium (damn, I look like a terrorist ... but it's just science!)
