Actinium applications are limited; it is mostly used as neutron source which appear by beryllium-9 alpha-particles irradiation which, in their turn, are emitted by actinium-227. However there are many reasons to consider such actinium-beryllium sources as not the best, not most thrifty.
Nevertheless actinium research is quite important. Thus, it is the basis of Glenn T. Seaborg's theory in the chemistry of the transuranium elements, developed the actinide concept. Francium also had been discovered by observation of actinium-227 two-ways decay, which may transfer into actinium with probability approximately 12 in 1000 cases. |