Induction of nuclear fission by high-voltage application

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that applying high voltage to fissionable materials like U-238 can induce nuclear fission using thermal neutrons, potentially expanding nuclear fuel options.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of inducing fission in non-fissile materials through high-voltage application, supported by liquid-drop model analysis.

Findings

High voltage enables fission with thermal neutrons in U-238.

Potential to utilize abundant fissionable materials like U-238.

Proposes new applications for fissionable materials in nuclear energy.

Abstract

In nuclear power generation, fissile materials are mainly used. For example, $U^{235}$ is fissile and therefore quite essential for use of nuclear energy. However, the material $U^{235}$ has very small natural abundance less than 1 %. We should seek possibility of utilizing fissionable materials such as $U^{238}$ because natural abundance of such fissionable materials is generally much larger than fissile ones. In this paper, we show that thermal neutrons with vanishing kinetic energy can induce nuclear fission when high voltage is applied to fissionable materials. To obtain this result, we use the liquid-drop model for nuclei. Finally, we propose how fissionable materials can be utilized.