Praseodymium144

Praseodymium-144, or 144Pr, is a radioactive isotope of the lanthanide element praseodymium (Pr). It is not found in meaningful quantities in nature and is produced in nuclear reactors or accelerators, for example by neutron capture on stable Pr-143 or as a daughter product in decay chains such as 144Ce decaying to 144Pr.

144Pr decays by beta minus emission to Nd-144, with a half-life of roughly 17 minutes. The decay is accompanied by gamma emissions from excited states of Nd-144. The Nd-144 nucleus is stable, so the sequence ends with a stable isotope.

Applications and production: In research settings, 144Pr is encountered as part of sealed 144Ce-144Pr radiation sources. The parent 144Ce has a longer half-life and decays to 144Pr, which then provides a strong beta source for detector calibration and spectroscopy in neutrino and other experiments.

Safety and handling: Because 144Pr emits beta and gamma radiation, practical use involves appropriate shielding, remote handling, and containment. Sealed sources are designed to limit radiation exposure and prevent environmental release, with disposal following regulatory guidelines for beta-gamma emitters.

See also: 144Ce-144Pr decay chain.