Neptunium

Neptunium is a chemical element with the symbol Np and atomic number 93. A radioactive, silvery metal, neptunium is the first transuranic element and belongs to the actinide series. Its most stable isotope, 237Np, is a by-product of nuclear reactors and plutonium production and it can be used as a component in neutron detection equipment.

History

Neptunium was first produced by Edwin McMillan and Philip H. Abelson in 1940 at the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory of the University of California. The element was named after the planet Neptune, following the tradition of naming elements after newly discovered planets, as uranium was named after Uranus and plutonium after Pluto.

Characteristics

Neptunium is a hard, silvery, ductile, radioactive actinide metal. In the periodic table, it is located to the right of the actinide uranium, to the left of the actinide plutonium and below the lanthanide promethium. Neptunium metal is similar to uranium in terms of physical workability. When exposed to air at normal temperatures, it forms a thin oxide layer.

Isotopes

Twenty neptunium isotopes are known, with atomic masses ranging from 225 to 244. The majority of these are short-lived and decay by alpha emission, but a few are more stable and decay by beta emission.

Applications

Neptunium-237 can be used to produce the isotope plutonium-238, used in radioisotope thermal generators to provide electricity for spacecraft. Neptunium can also be used in neutron detectors.

Biological role and precautions

Neptunium is harmful due to its radioactivity. It can accumulate in bones, which can lead to cancer. Proper precautions should be taken to prevent exposure.

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