Ce140

Ce140, or cerium-140, is an isotope of the chemical element cerium (atomic number 58). It has 58 protons and 82 neutrons, giving a mass number of 140. Ce-140 is one of the four stable isotopes of cerium that occur naturally, alongside Ce-136, Ce-138, and Ce-142. Its stability is linked to the closed neutron shell at N = 82, which contributes to the relatively robust binding of the nucleus.

Natural occurrence and significance: As a stable isotope, Ce-140 does not decay radioactively and is present in natural cerium minerals as part of a mixed isotope composition. The four stable cerium isotopes are collectively distributed in terrestrial cerium, and Ce-140 participates in isotopic analyses used in geology, geochemistry, and materials science. These isotopic systems can help study planetary differentiation, ore genesis, and the behavior of rare earth elements in rocks and minerals.

Production and isotopic science: Ce-140 can be produced in stars through slow neutron capture processes (the s-process) and, to a lesser extent, in other nucleosynthesis environments. In laboratory settings, researchers study Ce-140 alongside other cerium isotopes to understand nuclear structure, neutron capture cross sections, and isotopic fractionation in various processes. Because it is stable, Ce-140 is non-radioactive and does not have a practical radiological hazard.

Applications and context: Cerium isotopes, including Ce-140, are used in isotope geochemistry and tracer studies to probe geological and environmental processes. As with other lanthanides, cerium chemistry is characterized by multiple oxidation states, most notably +3 and +4, which governs its chemical behavior in minerals and industrial applications.