Information scientists can use known decay chains to infer the age of undated nuclear materials, such as smuggled nuclear materials that are interdicted by authorities. We chose a handful of isotopes, based on their significance to nuclear forensics, and we display the decay chain of those isotopes below.

Decay of uranium-235 into thorium-231 and an alpha particle. Larger, more massive nuclei like uranium-235 become more stable by emitting an alpha particle, which is a helium nucleus composed of two protons and two neutrons. This process is known as alpha decay.

In this case, uranium decays to thorium-232, which has 90 protons and 142 neutrons. Thorium-232 decays by kicking out a helium nucleus, two protons and two neutrons, becoming radium-228. One of those neutrons decays, sending out an electron and turning into a proton.

It is fertile rather than fissile, and can only be used as a fuel in conjunction with a fissile material such as recycled plutonium. Thorium fuels can breed fissile uranium-233 to be used in various kinds of nuclear reactors. Molten salt reactors are well suited to thorium fuel, as normal fuel fabrication is avoided.

Thorium-based reactors are safer because the reaction can easily be stopped and because the operation does not have to take place under extreme pressures. Compared to uranium reactors, thorium reactors produce far less waste and the waste that is generated is much less radioactive and much shorter-lived.

Australia

The use of thorium in a nuclear reaction significantly lowers the waste produced; of the waste that does occur, radioactively decaying elements are lowered as well. Combined with weapons-grade uranium, for instance, one University of Oslo researcher found that thorium can aid in reducing radioactive waste by up to 95%.

Thorium reactors are a different way to generate electricity that could benefit the world. More efficient than their fossil fuel counterparts, safer than a conventional nuclear plant, and generating no carbon emissions as a byproduct, LFTRs are a viable solution for the future of our world’s energy needs.

A team from the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG) the Netherlands has built the first molten salt reactor powered by thorium in decades. There are several basic facts of nuclear power that have made it a tough sell around the world. For one, the uranium needed for nuclear power plants is rare and expensive.

It’s not illegal to own a small amount of thorium metal and it can be obtained in certain processed forms – it used to be in gas lantern mantles for example – but you will require a license if the amounts are large enough or if you plan to make anything out of it.

Benefits. Thorium is safer and more efficient to mine than uranium, thus making it more environmentally friendly. It is estimated that one ton of thorium can produce as much energy as 35 tons of uranium in a liquid fluoride thorium reactor.

In 2003, it was estimated that the world produced 16.5 trllion kilowatt-hours of electricity. If this had all been produced by liquid-fluoride thorium reactors, this would have required 1500 metric tonnes of thorium. Future energy projections foresee electrical production reaching 21.4 trillion kilowatt-hours by 2015.

According to the World Nuclear Association, Thorium is a naturally-occurring, slightly radioactive metal, and can be used in conjunction with fissile material as nuclear fuel. And the basic fuel for a nuclear power reactor is Uranium – a heavy metal able to release abundant concentrated energy.

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If you go to Google and look for pictures of how foreign scientists handle Thorium-232 and even pure Enriched Uranium-235 and 238 you would be able to find a lot of pictures showing that you can safely hold pure Thorium or Uranium pellets or rods in your hands because Thorium-232 when it decays, produces only alpha …