Bismuth-209 Explained

Mass Number:209
Symbol:Bi
Num Neutrons:126
Num Protons:83
Abundance:100%
Mass:208.9803986
Spin:9/2−
Decay Energy1:3.1373
Decay Product:thallium-205
Decay Symbol:Tl
Decay Mass:205
Parent:lead-209
Parent Symbol:Pb
Parent Mass:209
Parent Decay:b
Parent2:polonium-209
Parent2 Symbol:Po
Parent2 Mass:209
Parent2 Decay:b+
Parent3:astatine-213
Parent3 Symbol:At
Parent3 Mass:213
Parent3 Decay:a

Bismuth-209 (Bi) is an isotope of bismuth, with the longest known half-life of any radioisotope that undergoes α-decay (alpha decay). It has 83 protons and a magic number of 126 neutrons,[1] and an atomic mass of 208.9803987 amu (atomic mass units). Primordial bismuth consists entirely of this isotope.

Decay properties

Bismuth-209 was long thought to have the heaviest stable nucleus of any element, but in 2003, a research team at the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale in Orsay, France, discovered that Bi undergoes alpha decay with a half-life of ≈19 exayears (1.9×10, or 19 quintillion years), over 10 times longer than the estimated age of the universe.[2] The heaviest nucleus considered to be stable is now lead-208 and the heaviest stable monoisotopic element is gold (gold-197).

Theory had previously predicted a half-life of 4.6 years. It had been suspected to be radioactive for a long time.[3] The decay produces a 3.14 MeV alpha particle plus thallium-205.[4] [5]

Bismuth-209 forms Tl:

→ + [6]

If perturbed, it would join in lead-bismuth neutron capture cycle from lead-206/207/208 to bismuth-209, despite low capture cross sections. Even thallium-205, the decay product of bismuth-209, reverts to lead when fully ionized.[7]

Due to its hugely long half-life, for nearly all applications Bi can be treated as non-radioactive. It is much less radioactive than human flesh, so it poses no real radiation hazard. Though Bi holds the half-life record for alpha decay, it does not have the longest known half-life of any nuclide; this distinction belongs to tellurium-128 (Te) with a half-life estimated at 7.7 × 10 years by double β-decay (double beta decay).[8] [9] [10]

The half-life of Bi was confirmed in 2012 by an Italian team in Gran Sasso who reported years. They also reported an even longer half-life for alpha decay of Bi to the first excited state of Tl (at 204 keV), was estimated at 1.66 years.[11] Even though this value is shorter than the half-life of Te, both alpha decays of Bi hold the record of the thinnest natural line widths of any measurable physical excitation, estimated respectively at ΔΕ~5.5×10 eV and ΔΕ~1.3×10 eV in application of the uncertainty principle[12] (double beta decay would produce energy lines only in neutrinoless transitions, which has not been observed yet).

Applications

Because all primordial bismuth is bismuth-209, bismuth-209 is used for all normal applications of bismuth, such as being used as a replacement for lead,[13] [14] in cosmetics,[15] [16] in paints,[17] and in several medicines such as Pepto-Bismol.[18] [19] Alloys containing bismuth-209 such as bismuth bronze have been used for thousands of years.[20]

Synthesis of other elements

Po can be manufactured by bombarding Bi with neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Only around 100 grams of Po are produced each year.[21] [22] Po and Po can be made through the proton bombardment of Bi in a cyclotron.[23] Astatine can also be produced by bombarding Bi with alpha particles.[24] [25] [26] Traces of Bi have also been used to create gold in nuclear reactors.[27] [28]

Bi has been used as a target for the creation of several isotopes of superheavy elements such as dubnium,[29] [30] [31] [32] bohrium,[33] meitnerium,[34] [35] [36] roentgenium,[37] [38] [39] and nihonium.[40] [41] [42]

Formation

Primordial

In the red giant stars of the asymptotic giant branch, the s-process (slow process) is ongoing to produce bismuth-209 and polonium-210 by neutron capture as the heaviest elements to be formed, and the latter quickly decays. All elements heavier than it are formed in the r-process, or rapid process, which occurs during the first fifteen minutes of supernovas.[43] [44] Bismuth-209 is also created during the r-process.

Radiogenic

Some Bi was created radiogenically from the neptunium decay chain.[45] Neptunium-237 is an extinct radionuclide, but it can be found in traces in uranium ores because of neutron capture reactions.[46] Americium-241, which is used in smoke detectors,[47] decays to neptunium-237.

See also

Notes and References

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