uranium-232

Also known as U-232, 232U, Uranium 232

Uranium-232 ('''''') is an isotope of uranium. It has a half-life of 68.9 years and is a side product in the thorium cycle. It has been cited as an obstacle to nuclear proliferation using 233U as the fissile material, because the intense gamma radiation emitted by 208Tl (a daughter of 232U, produced relatively quickly) makes the 233U contaminated with it more difficult to handle.

Key facts

Isotope.symbol: U
Isotope.mass_number: 232
Isotope.num_neutrons: 140
Isotope.num_protons: 92
Isotope.image: Uranium-232.svg
Isotope.decay_product: Thorium-228
Isotope.decay_symbol: Th
Isotope.decay_mass: 228
Isotope.decay_mode1: Alpha
Isotope.decay_energy1: 5.414
Isotope.parent: Plutonium-236
Isotope.parent_symbol: Pu
Isotope.parent_mass: 236
Isotope.parent_decay: a
Isotope.parent2: Neptunium-232
Isotope.parent2_symbol: Np
Isotope.parent2_mass: 232
Isotope.parent2_decay: b+

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Mass: 232.03715486

Show 9 more facts

canonical SMILES: [232U]
chemical formula: U
atomic number: 92
neutron number: 140
half-life: 68.9
spin quantum number: 0.0
parity quantum number: 1
mass excess: 34609.53
binding energy: 1765960.104

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Production of 233U (through the neutron irradiation of 232Th) invariably produces small amounts of 232U as an impurity, because of parasitic (n,2n) reactions on uranium-233 itself, or on protactinium-233, or on thorium-232: 232Th (n,γ) 233Th (β−) 233Pa (β−) 233U (n,2n) 232U 232Th (n,γ) 233Th (β−) 233Pa (n,2n) 232Pa (β−) 232U 232Th (n,2n) 231Th (β−) 231Pa (n,γ) 232Pa (β−) 232U