DGT has found that “Ni58, Ni60, Ni62 and Ni64 stable isotopes where “willing” to participate in a LENR reaction, whilst Ni61 was not. So there was no need for any costly enrichment method.”
The number of nucleons (Z) is a known parameter in the fission of heavy metal isotopes U233, U235, Pu239, Np237, Am241 and so on. According to the fissile rule, for a heavy element with 90 ≤ Z ≤ 100, its isotopes with 2 × Z − N = 43 ± 2, with few exceptions, are fissile (where N = number of neutrons and Z = number of protons). This fission occurs when a neutron is added to these nuclei making them even. So it is these even nuclei that fission. Nuclear fission involves a delicate balance within the nucleus between nuclear attraction and the electrical repulsion between protons. In all known nuclei the nuclear forces dominate. In hot fission of uranium, however, this domination is tenuous. If the uranium nucleus is stretched into an elongated shape, the electrical forces may push it into an even more elongated shape. If the elongation passes a critical point, nuclear forces yield to electrical ones, and the nucleus separates. This is fission. The absorption of a neutron by a uranium nucleus supplies enough energy to cause such an elongation. The resultant fission process may produce many different combinations of smaller nuclei. In explanation, the binding energy of the nucleus is when there are pairs of protons and neutrons. When a neutron is absorbed in an odd-A, its drop in energy is relatively large (= to the binding energy of the last nucleons in the even A nucleus) The energy released by this “drop” of the absorbed neutrons energy (even is the neutron had no kinetic energy) is now available to change the configuration of the nucleus. The nucleus can now deform until it surmounts the fission barrier. On the other hand, if a neutron is absorbed in an even-A, its binding energy in the odd-A (fissionable) nucleus is smaller and not sufficient for the nucleus to surmount the fission barrier. In order to induce fission, the absorbed neutron needs to bring in some minimum amount of kinetic energy. "Fissile" is distinct from "fissionable." A nuclide capable of undergoing fission (even with a low probability) after capturing a high energy neutron is referred to as "fissionable” e.g. U238. A fissionable nuclide that can be induced to fission with low-energy thermal neutrons with a high probability is referred to as "fissile." To summarize, most actinide isotopes with an odd neutron number are fissile. Most nuclear fuels have an odd atomic mass number (A = Z + N = the total number of nucleons), and an even atomic number Z. This implies an odd number of neutrons. Isotopes with an odd number of neutrons gain an extra 1 to 2 MeV of energy from absorbing an extra neutron, from the pairing effect which favors even numbers of both neutrons and protons. This energy is enough to supply the needed extra energy for fission by slower neutrons, which is important for making fissionable isotopes also fissile. In LENR, the delicate balance within the nucleus between nuclear attraction and the electrical repulsion between protons is disturbed in the opposite fashion. In the light of LENR fusion, a nucleus with many unbalanced neutrons like Ni64 will be elongated and energetic due to asymmetry neutron energy. When a proton or two is absorbed in an unbalanced nucleus, there is an reduction of a 1 to 2 MeV or 2 to 4MeV respectively of Asymmetry energy (an energy associated with the Pauli exclusion principle), because one or two of the unbalanced neutrons will now be in balanced with the new proton(s) thus reducing the total energy level needed to make the nucleus more sphere-shaped. cheers: axil
