From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
Isotopes of californium
none
none
Californium (Cf) is an artificial element, and thus a standard atomic weight cannot be given. Like all artificial elements, it has no stable isotopes. The first isotope to be synthesized was Cf in 1950. There are 20 known radioisotopes ranging from Cf to Cf and several short-lived nuclear isomers. The longest-lived isotope is Cf with a half-life of 898 years; followed by Cf (available isotopically pure from decay of berkelium) at 351 years.
List of isotopes
|-id=Californium-237 | α (70%)
| Cm |
|---|
| SF (30%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-238 |
| SF (97.5%)Lightest nuclide known to undergo spontaneous fission as its main decay mode |
| (various) |
| - |
| α (2.5%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-239 |
| α (65%) |
| Cm |
| - |
| β? (35%) |
| Bk |
| -id=Californium-240 |
| α (98.5%) |
| Cm |
| - |
| SF (1.5%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-241 |
| β? (85%) |
| Bk |
| - |
| α (15%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-242 |
| α (61%) |
| Cm |
| - |
| β (39%) |
| Bk |
| - |
| SF ( |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-243 |
| β (86%) |
| Bk |
| - |
| α (14%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-244 |
| α (75%) |
| Cm |
| - |
| EC (25%) |
| Bk |
| -id=Californium-245 |
| β (64.7%) |
| Bk |
| - |
| α (35.3%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-245m |
| 100# ns |
| IT |
| Cf |
| (7/2+) |
| -id=Californium-246 |
| α |
| Cm |
| - |
| SF (2.4×10%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-247 |
| EC (99.965%) |
| Bk |
| - |
| α (0.035%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-248 |
| α |
| Cm |
| - |
| SF (0.0029%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-249 |
| α |
| Cm |
| - |
| SF (5×10%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-249m |
| | IT | Cf | 5/2+ |-id=Californium-250 | α (99.923%)
| Cm |
|---|
| SF (0.077%) |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-251 |
| CfHigh neutron cross-section, tends to absorb neutrons |
| 251.079587(4) |
| | α | Cm | 1/2+ |-id=Californium-251m | | IT | Cf
| 11/2− |
|---|
| α (96.8972%) |
| Cm |
| - |
| SF (3.1028%)High neutron emitter, average 3.7 neutrons per fission |
| (various) |
| -id=Californium-253 |
| β (99.69%) |
| Es |
| - |
| α (0.31%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-254 |
| SF (99.69%) |
| (various) |
| - |
| α (0.31%) |
| Cm |
| -id=Californium-255 |
| Cf |
| 255.09105(22)# |
| | β | Es | (7/2+) |-id=Californium-256 | CfTheoretically capable of ββ decay to 256Fm or perhaps β decay to 256Es | 256.09344(34)# | | SF | (various)
| 0+ |
|---|
Actinides vs fission products
Californium-252
Californium-252 (Cf-252, Cf) undergoes spontaneous fission with a branching ratio of 3.09% and is used in small neutron sources. Fission neutrons have an energy range of 0 to 13 MeV with a mean value of 2.3 MeV and a most probable value of 1 MeV.
This isotope produces high neutron emissions and has a number of uses in industries such as nuclear energy, medicine, and petrochemical exploration.
Nuclear reactors
Californium-252 neutron sources are most notably used in the start-up of nuclear reactors. Once a reactor is filled with nuclear fuel, the stable neutron emission from said source starts the chain reaction.
Military and defense
The portable isotopic neutron spectroscopy (PINS) used by United States Armed Forces, the National Guard, Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection, uses Cf sources to detect hazardous contents inside artillery projectiles, mortar projectiles, rockets, bombs, land mines, and improvised explosive devices (IED).
Oil and petroleum
In the oil industry, Cf is used to find layers of petroleum and water in a well. Instrumentation is lowered into the well, which bombards the formation with high energy neutrons to determine porosity, permeability, and hydrocarbon presence along the length of the borehole.
Medicine
Californium-252 has also been used in the treatment of serious forms of cancer. For certain types of brain and cervical cancer, Cf can be used as a more cost-effective substitute for radium.
References
Sources
- {{cite book | editor-first = David R.|editor-last = Lide
References
- (1972). "Radiation Quality of Californium-252". [[Physics in Medicine and Biology]].
- "Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) for the Military".
- (2000-11-01). "Production, distribution and applications of californium-252 neutron sources". Applied Radiation and Isotopes.
- "Californium-252 & Antimony-Beryllium Sources".
- (1984-10-01). "Five-year cure of cervical cancer treated using californium-252 neutron brachytherapy". American Journal of Clinical Oncology.
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about Isotopes of californium — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report