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Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed...
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Updated: Dec 1, 2025

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Characterization of two extraordinary AmLi neutron sources.

Andrey V Mozhayev1, Michael E Moore1, Emily K Mace1

  • 1Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA, 99352, USA.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes : Including Data, Instrumentation and Methods for Use in Agriculture, Industry and Medicine
|November 9, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Measurements of legacy Americium-Lithium (AmLi) neutron sources quantified radionuclide content and revealed significant beryllium contamination. This contamination impacts neutron emission rates and energy spectra, necessitating careful characterization for accurate application.

Keywords:
AWCCAmLiBeryllium contaminationROSPECneutron spectrumprompt gamma

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Area of Science:

  • Nuclear physics
  • Radiochemistry
  • Materials science

Background:

  • Legacy Americium-Lithium (AmLi) neutron sources are crucial for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory projects.
  • Limited manufacturer documentation and lack of comparative data restrict the applicability of existing source measurement data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To accurately quantify radionuclide content, neutron energy spectrum, and emission rate of AmLi sources.
  • To address the lack of published high-definition neutron energy distributions for Monsanto Research Corporation AmLi sources.
  • To investigate and quantify beryllium contamination in AmLi sources.

Main Methods:

  • Gamma spectrometry was used to estimate radionuclide content and identify impurities.
  • Neutron spectrum measurements were performed to determine the energy distribution and assess contamination.
  • Neutron well counting determined total neutron yields.
  • Monte Carlo simulations calculated well counter detection efficiency based on measured neutron energy distributions.

Main Results:

  • Significant beryllium contamination was detected in the AmLi source material.
  • Beryllium contamination contributed a high-energy tail, accounting for up to 17% of the total neutron emission rate.
  • Measured neutron energy spectra for Monsanto Research Corporation AmLi sources were obtained, with the lithium-only portion compared to literature.
  • Total neutron yields were determined using a calibrated neutron well counter.

Conclusions:

  • The study successfully characterized legacy AmLi sources, providing crucial data on radionuclide content and neutron emission.
  • Beryllium contamination significantly influences the neutron output, requiring consideration in source applications.
  • The generated high-definition neutron energy spectra and yield data enhance the reliability of AmLi sources in scientific and industrial applications.