dysprosium166

Dysprosium-166 is a radioactive isotope of dysprosium, a rare earth metal with the atomic number 66. It is produced through the neutron irradiation of dysprosium-164 in a nuclear reactor. Dysprosium-166 has a half-life of approximately 1.04 days, making it a short-lived isotope. Its primary decay mode is beta minus decay, resulting in the formation of holmium-166. This isotope is not found in nature and is primarily of interest in scientific research, particularly in the study of nuclear reactions and the behavior of rare earth elements under neutron irradiation. Due to its short half-life, dysprosium-166 is not used in any practical applications and is not considered a significant hazard in the environment. Its study contributes to the understanding of nuclear chemistry and the properties of rare earth metals.