Various radionuclides emit beta particles, high-speed electrons or positrons, through radioactive decay of their atomic nucleus. These can be used in a range of different industrial, scientific, and medical applications. This article lists some common beta-emitting radionuclides of technological importance, and their properties.
Strontium-90 is a commonly used beta emitter used in industrial sources. It decays to yttrium-90, which is itself a beta emitter. It is also used as a thermal power source in radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) power packs. These use heat produced by radioactive decay of strontium-90 to generate heat, which can be converted to electricity using a thermocouple. Strontium-90 has a shorter half-life, produces less power, and requires more shielding than plutonium-238, but is cheaper as it is a fission product and is present in a high concentration in nuclear waste and can be relatively easily chemically extracted. Strontium-90 based RTGs have been used to power remote lighthouses.[1] As strontium is water-soluble, the perovskite form strontium titanate is usually employed as it is not water-soluble and has a high melting point.[2]
Tritium is a low-energy beta emitter commonly used as a radiotracer in research and in traser[check spelling]self-powered lightings. The half-life of tritium is 12.3 years. The electrons from beta emission from tritium are so low in energy (average decay energy 5.7 keV) that a Geiger counter cannot be used to detect them. An advantage of the low energy of the decay is that it is easy to shield, since the low energy electrons penetrate only to shallow depths, reducing the safety issues in deal with the isotope.
Tritium can also be found in metal work in the form of a tritiated rust, this can be treated by heating the steel in a furnace to drive off the tritium-containing water.
Carbon-14 is also commonly used as a beta source in research, it is commonly used as a radiotracer in organic compounds. While the energy of the beta particles is higher than those of tritium they are still quite low in energy. For instance the walls of a glass bottle are able to absorb it. Carbon-14 is made by the np reaction of nitrogen-14 with neutrons. It is generated in the atmosphere by the action of cosmic rays on nitrogen. Also a large amount was generated by the neutrons from the air bursts during nuclear weapons testing conducted in the 20th century. The specific activity of atmospheric carbon increased as a result of the nuclear testing but due to the exchange of carbon between the air and other parts of the carbon cycle it has now returned to a very low value. For small amounts of carbon-14, one of the favoured disposal methods is to burn the waste in a medical incinerator, the idea is that by dispersing the radioactivity over a very wide area the threat to any one human is very small.
Phosphorusedit
Phosphorus-32 is a short-lived high energy beta emitter, which is used in research in radiotracers. It has a half-life of 14 days. It can be used in DNA research. Phosphorus-32 can be made by the neutron irradiation (np reaction) of sulfur-32 or from phosphorus-31 by neutron capture.
Nickeledit
Nickel-63 is a radioisotope of nickel that can be used as an energy source in Radioisotope Piezoelectric Generators. It has a half-life of 100.1 years. It can be created by irradiating nickel-62 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor.[3]
^"RTG Heat Sources: Two Proven Materials - Atomic Insights". September 1996.
^Khajepour, Abolhasan; Rahmani, Faezeh (1 January 2017). "An approach to design a 90Sr radioisotope thermoelectric generator using analytical and Monte Carlo methods with ANSYS, COMSOL, and MCNP". Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 119: 51–59. doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.11.001. PMID 27842232.
^Tsvetkov, L. A.; Pustovalov, A. A.; Gusev, V. V.; Baranov, V. Y.; Tikhomirov, A. V. (April 2005). "Possible Way To Industrial Production of Nickel-63 and the Prospects of Its Use". Proceedings of the 5th international conference on isotopes 5ICI. pp. 99–102. CiteSeerX10.1.1.493.7715. ISBN978-88-7587-186-4.
External linksedit
List of Pure Beta Emitters, (U. Wisconsin Madison)
January 01, 1970
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Various radionuclides emit beta particles high speed electrons or positrons through radioactive decay of their atomic nucleus These can be used in a range of different industrial scientific and medical applications This article lists some common beta emitting radionuclides of technological importance and their properties Contents 1 Fission products 1 1 Strontium 2 Neutron activation products 2 1 Tritium 2 2 Carbon 2 3 Phosphorus 2 4 Nickel 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksFission products editStrontium edit Strontium 90 is a commonly used beta emitter used in industrial sources It decays to yttrium 90 which is itself a beta emitter It is also used as a thermal power source in radioisotope thermoelectric generator RTG power packs These use heat produced by radioactive decay of strontium 90 to generate heat which can be converted to electricity using a thermocouple Strontium 90 has a shorter half life produces less power and requires more shielding than plutonium 238 but is cheaper as it is a fission product and is present in a high concentration in nuclear waste and can be relatively easily chemically extracted Strontium 90 based RTGs have been used to power remote lighthouses 1 As strontium is water soluble the perovskite form strontium titanate is usually employed as it is not water soluble and has a high melting point 2 Strontium 89 is a short lived beta emitter which has been used as a treatment for bone tumors this is used in palliative care in terminal cancer cases Both strontium 89 and strontium 90 are fission products Neutron activation products editTritium edit Tritium is a low energy beta emitter commonly used as a radiotracer in research and in traser check spelling self powered lightings The half life of tritium is 12 3 years The electrons from beta emission from tritium are so low in energy average decay energy 5 7 keV that a Geiger counter cannot be used to detect them An advantage of the low energy of the decay is that it is easy to shield since the low energy electrons penetrate only to shallow depths reducing the safety issues in deal with the isotope Tritium can also be found in metal work in the form of a tritiated rust this can be treated by heating the steel in a furnace to drive off the tritium containing water Tritium can be made by the neutron irradiation of lithium Carbon edit Carbon 14 is also commonly used as a beta source in research it is commonly used as a radiotracer in organic compounds While the energy of the beta particles is higher than those of tritium they are still quite low in energy For instance the walls of a glass bottle are able to absorb it Carbon 14 is made by the np reaction of nitrogen 14 with neutrons It is generated in the atmosphere by the action of cosmic rays on nitrogen Also a large amount was generated by the neutrons from the air bursts during nuclear weapons testing conducted in the 20th century The specific activity of atmospheric carbon increased as a result of the nuclear testing but due to the exchange of carbon between the air and other parts of the carbon cycle it has now returned to a very low value For small amounts of carbon 14 one of the favoured disposal methods is to burn the waste in a medical incinerator the idea is that by dispersing the radioactivity over a very wide area the threat to any one human is very small Phosphorus edit Phosphorus 32 is a short lived high energy beta emitter which is used in research in radiotracers It has a half life of 14 days It can be used in DNA research Phosphorus 32 can be made by the neutron irradiation np reaction of sulfur 32 or from phosphorus 31 by neutron capture Nickel edit Nickel 63 is a radioisotope of nickel that can be used as an energy source in Radioisotope Piezoelectric Generators It has a half life of 100 1 years It can be created by irradiating nickel 62 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor 3 See also editCommonly used gamma emitting isotopes BetavoltaicsReferences edit RTG Heat Sources Two Proven Materials Atomic Insights September 1996 Khajepour Abolhasan Rahmani Faezeh 1 January 2017 An approach to design a 90Sr radioisotope thermoelectric generator using analytical and Monte Carlo methods with ANSYS COMSOL and MCNP Applied Radiation and Isotopes 119 51 59 doi 10 1016 j apradiso 2016 11 001 PMID 27842232 Tsvetkov L A Pustovalov A A Gusev V V Baranov V Y Tikhomirov A V April 2005 Possible Way To Industrial Production of Nickel 63 and the Prospects of Its Use Proceedings of the 5th international conference on isotopes 5ICI pp 99 102 CiteSeerX 10 1 1 493 7715 ISBN 978 88 7587 186 4 External links editList of Pure Beta Emitters U Wisconsin Madison Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Common beta emitters amp oldid 1191499502, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
