nickel61

Nickel-61 is a stable isotope of the chemical element nickel, with a mass number of 61. It is one of the five stable nickel isotopes and accounts for roughly 1.1% of natural nickel. As a stable nuclide, Ni-61 does not decay over time under ordinary conditions and can be detected in natural nickel samples and meteorites.

In nuclear physics and geochemistry, nickel-61 is used to study isotopic composition and nucleosynthesis. Its presence alongside other nickel isotopes provides information about the production of elements in stars and the chemical evolution of the solar system. Ni-61, like other stable isotopes, serves as a reference point in isotopic ratio analyses and helps calibrate models of stellar processes.

Laboratories can produce or isolate nickel-61 through neutron capture or other nuclear reactions in reactors or accelerators. Its stability makes it suitable for experimental studies that examine nuclear structure, reaction cross sections, and the behavior of nickel under various physical conditions. In practical terms, Ni-61 is encountered in standard nickel materials and contributes to the overall isotopic signature used in geochemical and planetary science investigations.