Unleashing America’s Isotopes: Introducing Neptunium-236

After over a pain-staking decade of R&D efforts, the DOE Isotope Program (DOE IP) is enthusiastic to announce that neptunium-236 (Np-236) is available for the first time ever. Np-236 is a long-lived isotope that is in critical need for applications in nuclear forensics, nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation and other environmental and research applications.

The DOE IP championed the development of Np-236 over multi-year investments at our national laboratories by optimizing their strengths to each part of the process to maximize our ability to bring this isotope to market. The DOE IP produced Np-236 by irradiating a depleted uranium target with protons at Los Alamos National Laboratory and then chemically processing the target at Idaho National Laboratory to recover the Np-236 with further enrichment capabilities at Pacific Northwest National laboratory.  

Due to industry demands, we have currently established an enrichment level of 8%, but the DOE IP can produce higher enrichments depending on market needs and interest. Consideration will be given If federal agencies, national labs, universities and industry partners have higher enrichment level needs.

To request a quote or inquire about higher enrichment levels, please contact us below and let us know how Np-236 can support your applications.