Enhanced Control of Nuclear Lifetimes for Ultra-Energetic Materials Using Electron-Nuclear Processes
Abstract
Radioisotopes can store 100,000 times the energy of chemical batteries or fuel cells for durations of many decades or longer. The ability to utilize such ultra-energetic materials for Army power and energy applications would be a truly revolutionary advance. With very long storage lifetimes, the output power achievable with radioisotopes is limited, unless metastable nuclear excited states (isomers) can be used to provide different time scales for energy storage and release. US Army Research Laboratory mission research is underway to investigate methods by which to switch certain radioisotopes from long-lived to short-lived states via direct interactions with nuclei. Supplemental to that program, this special Director's Research Initiative project investigated the possibility of an indirect method via atomic-nuclear interactions, which has been proposed to enhance the efficiency of such switching under specific conditions. The process of nuclear excitation by electron capture was studied in a series of experiments based on a nuclear fusion-evaporation reaction in inverse kinematics. A full analysis is not yet complete, but initial positive indications suggest this approach has provided the first evidence of this new physical effect.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1059235
Entities
People
- C. J. Chiara
- J. J. Carroll
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory