According to a report, scientists have discovered and produced a new type of uranium isotope, known as uranium-241.

This is the first time a new neutron-rich isotope of uranium has been discovered since 1979, and it was identified by researchers at the High-energy Accelerator Research Organization located in Japan. Uranium-241 is an extremely radioactive element with 92 protons and 149 neutrons, and it is predicted to have a brief half-life of around 40 minutes.

Uranium, one of the most radioactive elements, is a member of the actinide series, which includes all elements with atomic numbers between 89 and 103. Uranium-241 is known as a neutron-rich isotope because it has more neutrons than is typical for uranium isotopes. This discovery has significant implications for the study of nuclear and astrophysics, as well as our understanding of heavy elements' behavior and stability.

The researchers utilized a technique called multinucleon transfer to create uranium-241 by firing uranium-238 at platinum-198 nuclei using Japan's RIKEN accelerator. The resulting nuclei were observed to determine their mass as they traveled a certain distance through a medium. This process led to the creation of 18 new isotopes with between 143 and 150 neutrons.

The discovery of uranium-241 illustrates the capabilities of modern particle accelerators and experimental methods in advancing scientific knowledge and exploration. The collision of atomic nuclei at high speeds and energies enables the creation and study of short-lived and exotic isotopes that were previously unobservable and unobtainable.

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Multinucleon transfer creates short-lived uranium isotope - Interesting Engineering