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Thorium resources are the estimated mineral reserves of thorium on Earth. Thorium is a future potential source of low-carbon energy. [1] Thorium has been demonstrated to perform as a nuclear fuel in several reactor designs. [2] [3] It is present with a higher abundance than uranium in the crust of the earth. Thorium resources have not been ...
Modern 3D Lichtenberg figures or "electrical treeing" in a block of clear acrylic, created by irradiating the block with an electron beam.Actual size: 80 mm × 80 mm × 50 mm (3 in × 3 in × 2 in) Lichtenberg figures are generated by a sliding spark discharge on the flask with a mixture of gases.
A sample of thorium. Thorium-based nuclear power generation is fueled primarily by the nuclear fission of the isotope uranium-233 produced from the fertile element thorium.A thorium fuel cycle can offer several potential advantages over a uranium fuel cycle [Note 1] —including the much greater abundance of thorium found on Earth, superior physical and nuclear fuel properties, and reduced ...
Thorium-cycle fuels produce hard gamma emissions, which damage electronics, limiting their use in bombs. 232 U cannot be chemically separated from 233 U from used nuclear fuel; however, chemical separation of thorium from uranium removes the decay product 228 Th and the radiation from the rest of the decay chain, which gradually build up as 228 Th
Thorium reacts with hydrogen to form the thorium hydrides ThH 2 and Th 4 H 15, the latter of which is superconducting below the transition temperature of 7.5–8 K; at standard temperature and pressure, it conducts electricity like a metal. [12] Thorium is the only metallic element that readily forms a hydride higher than MH 3. [31]
Thorium-232 is a fertile material; it can capture a neutron to form thorium-233, which subsequently undergoes two successive beta decays to uranium-233, which is fissile. As such, it has been used in the thorium fuel cycle in nuclear reactors; various prototype thorium-fueled reactors have been designed. However, as of 2024, thorium fuel has ...
Another channel involves neutron capture reaction on small amounts of thorium-230, which is a tiny fraction of natural thorium present due to the decay of uranium-238: 230 Th (n,γ) → 231 Th (β −) → 231 Pa (n,γ) → 232 Pa (β −) → 232 U. The decay chain of 232 U quickly yields strong gamma radiation emitters. Thallium-208 is the ...
The danger lies in the process relying on high voltages, [1] [3] [4] [6] much higher than normal mains electricity. [4] High voltages enable a potentially fatal current to pass through the body.