154Sm

Samarium-154 (154Sm) is a stable isotope of the lanthanide element samarium (Sm). It has 62 protons and 92 neutrons, giving it a mass number of 154. As a stable isotope, 154Sm does not undergo radioactive decay under normal conditions.

Natural occurrence and composition: Natural samarium consists of several isotopes, among them 154Sm. It is one of the seven naturally occurring samarium isotopes and is non-radioactive. In nature, 154Sm exists alongside other isotopes such as 152Sm and 147Sm, contributing to the element’s overall isotopic composition.

Production and enrichment: In addition to its natural occurrence, 154Sm can be enriched or produced for research purposes through laboratory techniques. It can be prepared or isolated using isotope separation methods and, in reactor environments, through neutron irradiation of other samarium isotopes followed by separation.

Properties and applications: As a stable isotope, 154Sm is primarily used in scientific research as a reference material for isotope ratio measurements and for studies of nuclear structure. It provides a non-radioactive benchmark for mass spectrometry and related analyses. For context, the isotope 147Sm decays by alpha emission to 143Nd with a long half-life and is widely used in Sm–Nd radiometric dating; 154Sm does not participate in such decay schemes.

Safety: Handling of samarium compounds requires standard chemical safety practices. Because 154Sm is stable, it does not present radiological hazards on its own, but materials containing rare-earth elements can pose inhalation or ingestion risks if mishandled.