ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jun 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
July 2026
Nuclear Technology
June 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
May 2026
Latest News
INL reports findings on unusual quantum behavior of plutonium
Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have discovered that plutonium hexaboride (PuB6) displays a type of unusual quantum property called a topological Kondo insulating state. Materials with this property are neither typical electricity conductors nor regular insulators. Rather, they have exterior surfaces that strongly conduct electricity and interiors that block electricity.
Robert M. Brugger, Jing-Luen A. Shih, Hungyuan B. Liu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 98 | Number 3 | June 1992 | Pages 322-332
Technical Paper | Radiation Biology and Medicine | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34662
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A facility designed to produce a beam of epithermal neutrons for neutron capture therapy is discussed whereby a moderator of Al2O3 plus aluminum is placed near the core of the 10-MW Missouri University Research Reactor. This moderator shifts the fast neutrons into the epithermal energy range before they exit toward the patient position. This beam replaces the thermal column of the reactor and has a large source area. With the reactor operating at 10 MW, a very intense, yet predominantly epithermal beam of neutrons is produced by this beam, and these neutrons could be very effective for neutron capture therapy.