High energy beta particles (6 to 22 MeV)

[Crijn]

TL;DR Summary

we have a question about highly energized beta particles (6 to 22 MeV). Is it possible fore this radiation to affect the nucleus of an isotope and not just ionize it?

We have a question about highly energized beta particles (6 to 22 MeV). Is it possible fore this radiation to affect the nucleus of an isotope and not just ionize it?

In our case a copper-65 and copper- 63 isotope become their unstable neighbors Cu-64 and Cu-62 due to the high beta radiation.
we could not find the theoretical explanation for this on the internet so we would be glad if someone could help out :)

 

[Astronuc]

If a highly energetic electron or photon of sufficient energy (e.g., binding energy of a neutron), then a neutron can be ejected from the nucleus. I'm more familiar with so-called photoneutron reactions in which high energy gammas can knock out neutrons from a nucleus, but I have seen discussions of MeV electrons having the same effect, although it is known as 'electrodisintegration'.

One could determine the binding energy needed to release a neutron by (m_A + m_n - m_(A+1))c² in appropriate units, e.g., MeV

For example, see - https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/44/026/44026235.pdf
"Neutron contamination around LINACs for radiotherapy isa source of undesirable doses forthe patient. The main source of these neutrons isthe photonuclear reactions occurring in the LINAC head and the patient body. Electrons also produce neutrons through (e, e’n) reactions.This reaction is known as electrodisintegration and is carried out by the electron scattering that produce a virtual photon that is absorbed by the scattering nucleus producing the reaction e+A → (A-1) + n + e ́."

So, in one's example, ⁶⁵Cu + e => ⁶⁴Cu + n + e', and ⁶³Cu + e => ⁶²Cu + n + e'

If one wants to get exotic - https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020NIMPA.95461747Y/abstract

 

[Crijn]

thanks for the help you gave us!
we have continued with a measure of the given material that with a Scintillation counter which gives the following result.

this gives us a peak at 210 keV which is not measured at a background measurement. is there a good site were we can find the possible decay's that may have caused this peak?

 

[Vanadium 50]

It could be lots of things, including x-rays from the detector itself.