What are the predicted byproducts of a He 3 and Be 9 fusion reaction?

  • Thread starter Salman2
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In summary, there are several possible reactions that could result in the production of alpha particles, and it is unclear which is most likely. Further data is needed to make a more definitive statement.
  • #1
Salman2
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If a stable He 3 particle [PNP] hits a stable Be 9 isotope, would not three stable alpha (He-4) be the most commonly predicted byproducts of this fusion reaction, resulting with two alpha with high energy, the third with lower energy ?

If not, what more common byproducts are predicted from this fusion reaction. Thanks to anyone for explanation.
 
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  • #2
Salman2 said:
If a stable He 3 particle [PNP] hits a stable Be 9 isotope, would not three stable alpha (He-4) be the most commonly predicted byproducts of this fusion reaction, resulting with two alpha with high energy, the third with lower energy ?

If not, what more common byproducts are predicted from this fusion reaction. Thanks to anyone for explanation.

I have no idea of the different reaction cross sections (not my area of knowledge), but my first guess would be carbon 12 plus gammas as the most likely. Have you ruled this out by some chain of reasoning?
 
  • #3
To PAllen: Thank you for reply. No, I have not ruled out C-12 + gamma. I wonder if reaction cross section data exist for the reaction I presented ? Would you know a general reference that would list such experimental data ?
 
  • #4
Here's a relevant link, where the end products in the study are either three alphas or two lithium-6's.
 
  • #5
Here is a link that includes data on Be-9 + He-3 -> B-11 + p

http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v158/i4/p957_1

and for Be-9 + He-3 -> C-11 + n

http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v2/i3/p104_1

I am beginning to suspect that fusion producing only gamma is very unlikely.

Wait! It does occur:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0029558264904456

And another on the reaction you asked about:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0031916364911709
 
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  • #6
To Bill K & PAllen: Thank you very much. More reaction possibilities than I at first expected.

Very interesting that two possibilities result in stable clusters (1) three alpha clusters or (2) two Li-6 clusters, both being possible internal nucleon configurations that would yield stable C-12 isotope. Next I need to work on determining which of all the reported reaction possibilities has highest expectation to occur.
 

Related to What are the predicted byproducts of a He 3 and Be 9 fusion reaction?

1. What is "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion"?

"4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" is a nuclear reaction in which two atoms of beryllium-9 (4 Be 9) and one atom of helium-3 (2 He 3) combine to form one atom of carbon-12 (6 C 12).

2. How does "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" occur?

This type of fusion occurs when the two beryllium-9 atoms and one helium-3 atom are brought close enough together for the strong nuclear force to overcome their repulsion and bind them together to form carbon-12.

3. What is the significance of "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion"?

"4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" is significant because it is one of the main reactions involved in the formation of carbon in stars. Carbon is a crucial element for life and the universe as we know it, and this fusion reaction is responsible for producing it.

4. What are the potential applications of "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion"?

Currently, "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" is not used for any practical applications. However, scientists are studying this reaction in hopes of one day harnessing fusion energy for a clean and abundant source of energy.

5. Is "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" a safe process?

Yes, "4 Be 9 plus 2 He 3 Fusion" is a safe process as it occurs naturally in stars and does not release harmful radiation. However, scientists are still working on ways to safely and efficiently harness fusion energy for practical use on Earth.

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