92U238

92U238 refers to Uranium-238, a specific isotope of the element uranium. Uranium, with atomic number 92, is a heavy, naturally occurring radioactive element. Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium, making up about 99.28% of naturally occurring uranium. Its nucleus contains 92 protons and 146 neutrons, for a total mass number of 238. Uranium-238 is characterized by its very long half-life, approximately 4.468 billion years. This means that it decays very slowly.

While Uranium-238 is not fissile in the same way as Uranium-235, it is fertile. This means that under neutron bombardment, it can capture a neutron and, through a series of radioactive decays, transform into fissile plutonium-239. This process is important in nuclear reactors and in the production of nuclear weapons. In nuclear reactors, Uranium-238 acts as a neutron absorber and also breeds plutonium. Its decay chain is part of the uranium series, eventually leading to stable isotopes of lead. Due to its abundance and its role in breeding plutonium, Uranium-238 is a significant component of nuclear fuel cycles.