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Nuclear fusion is one of the most powerful reactions known to mankind. This is the process that powers the Sun and stars and results in high-energy production. Achieving nuclear fusion in laboratory conditions is however quite challenging as it requires extreme conditions of temperature and pressure.

A new study reveals a more practical alternative to nuclear fusion. This shows that the release of a single neutron can produce similar or more power than a fusion reaction, especially in low-energy regions close to the minimum energy threshold required for a nuclear reaction.

Neutron emission is a reaction in which a neutron from a moving nucleus is ejected when it hits another nucleus. It’s like knocking a ball (neutron) out of a moving box (nucleus) when it hits another box. This leaves the moving box with one less ball.

Compared to nuclear fusion, nuclear removal is much easier to achieve in the laboratory. Therefore, these findings open a new and feasible way to achieve our goals in the field of nuclear energy.

“By better understanding the behavior of nuclei under these conditions, we can improve our approaches to nuclear energy production and radiotherapy,” said Jesus Lubian, one of the study’s authors and associate professor at the Federal University of Brazil Fluminense.

Decoding a single neutron transfer

One neutron removal is a type of one neutron transfer reaction. During the latter, the ejected neutron (from the moving nucleus) is absorbed by the target nucleus.

For decades, scientists have been trying to understand the mechanism that drives neutron transfer in weakly bound nuclei. It is important to decode this mechanism because it can greatly improve our understanding of nuclear physics, including various nuclear reactions.

The authors of the study conducted an interesting experiment for this purpose. They studied the process of splitting a single neutron between Li-6 (an isotope of lithium) and Bi-209 (an isotope of bismuth). He then compared his output to that of a complete fusion reaction involving the same isotopes.

They used the GALILEO Array (grammar beam detector) in combination with the 4π Si-ball EUCLIDES (advanced laser detector) to study the gamma-ray emission and detect charged particles during the reactions.

They also used a special method known as gamma-gamma matching to examine different gamma rays identified when a single neutron is emitted. “The gamma-gamma match was critical to isolating specific reaction channels, allowing the team to determine the behavior of nuclei under different conditions with high precision,” the researchers note.

The results of the neutron transfer between Be and Li surprised the researchers. Here’s what they found:

The removal of a single neutron has enormous potential

In the aforementioned reaction, the weekly bound Li-6 collides with the much heavier Bi-209. The result of this interaction shows that the transfer of a single neutron is capable of producing an output similar to that of a fusion reaction.

“The single-neutron separation process produces results comparable to those of full fusion reactions, especially in energy regions near nuclear barriers. Contrary to previous expectations, the results show that single-neutron transfer plays a dominant role at lower energies, exceeding the output of fusion reactions,” the study authors said.

These findings could unlock new possibilities for using single-neutron transfer in areas such as nuclear energy research.

“The process highlights the complex and nuanced nature of nuclear reactions, providing a stepping stone for future scientific breakthroughs in nuclear science and technology,” the study authors added.

The study was published in the journal Nuclear Sciences and Techniques.