Plutonium Production

The most important Plutonium-239 isotope is produced in nuclear reactors by long term neutron irradiation of natural or enriched uranium. Capturing neutrons Plutonium-239 transmutes into the heavier isotopes with masses 240-242. At the same time Plutonium-238 isotope is brought forth by chain reaction. Regular concentration is 90-95% ²³⁹Pu in the mixture, ²⁴⁰Pu - 1-7%, concentrations of other isotopes do not exceed tenths of the percent. Long-lived isotopes, including ²⁴⁴Pu are produced in nuclear reactors by long term neutron irradiation of Plutonium-239 isotope. Meanwhile ²⁴²Pu output is several tens %, and ²⁴⁴Pu - less than 1% of ²⁴²Pu. The weighs of isotopic pure Plutonium-238 isotope are obtained by neutron bombardment of Neptunium-237. Light isotopes with masses 232-237 are produced by bombardment of uranium in cyclotrons. Isotopes are separated and purified by extraction and sorption. PUREX process is applied as a standard nuclear reprocessing method for the recovery of plutonium from used nuclear fuel. It is based on tributyl phosphate extraction in the light organic solvent. Separation from the fission products is the first step followed by further processing of separation of the heavier plutonium from the uranium. Plutonium metal is recovered from PuF₄ or PuCl₃ by reduction with calcium or magnesium.