Isotopes of niobium

Isotopes of niobium (₄₁Nb)
Standard atomic weight Ar°(Nb)
	92.90637±0.00001; 92.906±0.001 (abridged);
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Naturally occurring niobium (₄₁Nb) is composed of one stable isotope (⁹³Nb). The most stable radioisotope is ⁹²Nb with a half-life of 34.7 million years. The next longest-lived niobium isotopes are ⁹⁴Nb (half-life: 20,300 years) and ⁹¹Nb with a half-life of 680 years. There is also a meta state of ⁹³Nb at 31 keV whose half-life is 16.13 years. Twenty-seven other radioisotopes have been characterized. Most of these have half-lives that are less than two hours, except ⁹⁵Nb (35 days), ⁹⁶Nb (23.4 hours) and ⁹⁰Nb (14.6 hours). The primary decay mode before stable ⁹³Nb is electron capture and the primary mode after is beta emission with some neutron emission occurring in ^104–110Nb.

Only ⁹⁵Nb (35 days) and ⁹⁷Nb (72 minutes) and heavier isotopes (half-lives in seconds) are fission products in significant quantity, as the other isotopes are shadowed by stable or very long-lived (⁹³Zr) isotopes of the preceding element zirconium from production via beta decay of neutron-rich fission fragments. ⁹⁵Nb is the decay product of ⁹⁵Zr (64 days), so disappearance of ⁹⁵Nb in used nuclear fuel is slower than would be expected from its own 35-day half-life alone. Small amounts of other isotopes may be produced as direct fission products.

List of isotopes

Nuclide ^{[n 1]}	Z	N	Isotopic mass (Da) ^{[n 2]}^{[n 3]}	Half-life ^{[n 4]}	Decay mode ^{[n 5]}	Daughter isotope ^{[n 6]}^{[n 7]}	Spin and parity ^{[n 8]}^{[n 4]}	Isotopic abundance
Nuclide ^{[n 1]}	Excitation energy^{[n 4]}			Half-life ^{[n 4]}	Decay mode ^{[n 5]}	Daughter isotope ^{[n 6]}^{[n 7]}	Spin and parity ^{[n 8]}^{[n 4]}	Isotopic abundance
⁸¹Nb	41	40	80.94903(161)#	<44 ns	βべーた⁺, p	⁸⁰Y	3/2−#
					p	⁸⁰Zr
					βべーた⁺	⁸¹Zr
⁸²Nb	41	41	81.94313(32)#	51(5) ms	βべーた⁺	⁸²Zr	0+
⁸³Nb	41	42	82.93671(34)	4.1(3) s	βべーた⁺	⁸³Zr	(5/2+)
⁸⁴Nb	41	43	83.93357(32)#	9.8(9) s	βべーた⁺ (>99.9%)	⁸⁴Zr	3+
⁸⁴Nb	41	43	83.93357(32)#	9.8(9) s	βべーた⁺, p (<.1%)	⁸³Y	3+
^84mNb	338(10) keV			103(19) ns			(5−)
⁸⁵Nb	41	44	84.92791(24)	20.9(7) s	βべーた⁺	⁸⁵Zr	(9/2+)
^85mNb	759.0(10) keV			12(5) s			(1/2−)
⁸⁶Nb	41	45	85.92504(9)	88(1) s	βべーた⁺	⁸⁶Zr	(6+)
^86mNb	250(160)# keV			56(8) s	βべーた⁺	⁸⁶Zr	high
⁸⁷Nb	41	46	86.92036(7)	3.75(9) min	βべーた⁺	⁸⁷Zr	(1/2−)
^87mNb	3.84(14) keV			2.6(1) min	βべーた⁺	⁸⁷Zr	(9/2+)#
⁸⁸Nb	41	47	87.91833(11)	14.55(6) min	βべーた⁺	⁸⁸Zr	(8+)
^88mNb	40(140) keV			7.8(1) min	βべーた⁺	⁸⁸Zr	(4−)
⁸⁹Nb	41	48	88.913418(29)	2.03(7) h	βべーた⁺	⁸⁹Zr	(9/2+)
^89mNb	0(30)# keV			1.10(3) h	βべーた⁺	⁸⁹Zr	(1/2)−
⁹⁰Nb	41	49	89.911265(5)	14.60(5) h	βべーた⁺	⁹⁰Zr	8+
^90m1Nb	122.370(22) keV			63(2) μみゅーs			6+
^90m2Nb	124.67(25) keV			18.81(6) s	IT	⁹⁰Nb	4-
^90m3Nb	171.10(10) keV			<1 μみゅーs			7+
^90m4Nb	382.01(25) keV			6.19(8) ms			1+
^90m5Nb	1880.21(20) keV			472(13) ns			(11−)
⁹¹Nb	41	50	90.906996(4)	680(130) a	EC (99.98%)	⁹¹Zr	9/2+
⁹¹Nb	41	50	90.906996(4)	680(130) a	βべーた⁺ (.013%)	⁹¹Zr	9/2+
^91m1Nb	104.60(5) keV			60.86(22) d	IT (93%)	⁹¹Nb	1/2−
					EC (7%)	⁹¹Zr
					βべーた⁺ (.0028%)	⁹¹Zr
^91m2Nb	2034.35(19) keV			3.76(12) μみゅーs			(17/2−)
⁹²Nb	41	51	91.907194(3)	3.47(24)×10⁷ a	βべーた⁺ (99.95%)	⁹²Zr	(7)+	Trace
⁹²Nb	41	51	91.907194(3)	3.47(24)×10⁷ a	βべーた⁻ (.05%)	⁹²Mo	(7)+	Trace
^92m1Nb	135.5(4) keV			10.15(2) d	βべーた⁺	⁹²Zr	(2)+
^92m2Nb	225.7(4) keV			5.9(2) μみゅーs			(2)−
^92m3Nb	2203.3(4) keV			167(4) ns			(11−)
⁹³Nb	41	52	92.9063781(26)	Stable			9/2+	1.0000
^93mNb	30.77(2) keV			16.13(14) a	IT	⁹³Nb	1/2−
⁹⁴Nb	41	53	93.9072839(26)	2.03(16)×10⁴ a	βべーた⁻	⁹⁴Mo	(6)+	Trace
^94mNb	40.902(12) keV			6.263(4) min	IT (99.5%)	⁹⁴Nb	3+
^94mNb	40.902(12) keV			6.263(4) min	βべーた⁻ (.5%)	⁹⁴Mo	3+
⁹⁵Nb	41	54	94.9068358(21)	34.991(6) d	βべーた⁻	⁹⁵Mo	9/2+
^95mNb	235.690(20) keV			3.61(3) d	IT (94.4%)	⁹⁵Nb	1/2−
^95mNb	235.690(20) keV			3.61(3) d	βべーた⁻ (5.6%)	⁹⁵Mo	1/2−
⁹⁶Nb	41	55	95.908101(4)	23.35(5) h	βべーた⁻	⁹⁶Mo	6+
⁹⁷Nb	41	56	96.9080986(27)	72.1(7) min	βべーた⁻	⁹⁷Mo	9/2+
^97mNb	743.35(3) keV			52.7(18) s	IT	⁹⁷Nb	1/2−
⁹⁸Nb	41	57	97.910328(6)	2.86(6) s	βべーた⁻	⁹⁸Mo	1+
^98mNb	84(4) keV			51.3(4) min	βべーた⁻ (99.9%)	⁹⁸Mo	(5+)
^98mNb	84(4) keV			51.3(4) min	IT (.1%)	⁹⁸Nb	(5+)
⁹⁹Nb	41	58	98.911618(14)	15.0(2) s	βべーた⁻	⁹⁹Mo	9/2+
^99mNb	365.29(14) keV			2.6(2) min	βべーた⁻ (96.2%)	⁹⁹Mo	1/2−
^99mNb	365.29(14) keV			2.6(2) min	IT (3.8%)	⁹⁹Nb	1/2−
¹⁰⁰Nb	41	59	99.914182(28)	1.5(2) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰⁰Mo	1+
^100mNb	470(40) keV			2.99(11) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰⁰Mo	(4+, 5+)
¹⁰¹Nb	41	60	100.915252(20)	7.1(3) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰¹Mo	(5/2#)+
¹⁰²Nb	41	61	101.91804(4)	1.3(2) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰²Mo	1+
^102mNb	130(50) keV			4.3(4) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰²Mo	high
¹⁰³Nb	41	62	102.91914(7)	1.5(2) s	βべーた⁻	¹⁰³Mo	(5/2+)
¹⁰⁴Nb	41	63	103.92246(11)	4.9(3) s	βべーた⁻ (99.94%)	¹⁰⁴Mo	(1+)
¹⁰⁴Nb	41	63	103.92246(11)	4.9(3) s	βべーた⁻, n (.06%)	¹⁰³Mo	(1+)
^104mNb	220(120) keV			940(40) ms	βべーた⁻ (99.95%)	¹⁰⁴Mo	high
^104mNb	220(120) keV			940(40) ms	βべーた⁻, n (.05%)	¹⁰³Mo	high
¹⁰⁵Nb	41	64	104.92394(11)	2.95(6) s	βべーた⁻ (98.3%)	¹⁰⁵Mo	(5/2+)#
¹⁰⁵Nb	41	64	104.92394(11)	2.95(6) s	βべーた⁻, n (1.7%)	¹⁰⁴Mo	(5/2+)#
¹⁰⁶Nb	41	65	105.92797(21)#	920(40) ms	βべーた⁻ (95.5%)	¹⁰⁶Mo	2+#
¹⁰⁶Nb	41	65	105.92797(21)#	920(40) ms	βべーた⁻, n (4.5%)	¹⁰⁵Mo	2+#
¹⁰⁷Nb	41	66	106.93031(43)#	300(9) ms	βべーた⁻ (94%)	¹⁰⁷Mo	5/2+#
¹⁰⁷Nb	41	66	106.93031(43)#	300(9) ms	βべーた⁻, n (6%)	¹⁰⁶Mo	5/2+#
¹⁰⁸Nb	41	67	107.93484(32)#	0.193(17) s	βべーた⁻ (93.8%)	¹⁰⁸Mo	(2+)
¹⁰⁸Nb	41	67	107.93484(32)#	0.193(17) s	βべーた⁻, n (6.2%)	¹⁰⁷Mo	(2+)
¹⁰⁹Nb	41	68	108.93763(54)#	190(30) ms	βべーた⁻ (69%)	¹⁰⁹Mo	5/2+#
¹⁰⁹Nb	41	68	108.93763(54)#	190(30) ms	βべーた⁻, n (31%)	¹⁰⁸Mo	5/2+#
¹¹⁰Nb	41	69	109.94244(54)#	170(20) ms	βべーた⁻ (60%)	¹¹⁰Mo	2+#
¹¹⁰Nb	41	69	109.94244(54)#	170(20) ms	βべーた⁻, n (40%)	¹⁰⁹Mo	2+#
¹¹¹Nb	41	70	110.94565(54)#	80# ms [>300 ns]			5/2+#
¹¹²Nb	41	71	111.95083(75)#	60# ms [>300 ns]			2+#
¹¹³Nb	41	72	112.95470(86)#	30# ms [>300 ns]			5/2+#
¹¹⁴Nb^[4]	41	73
¹¹⁵Nb^[4]	41	74
¹¹⁶Nb^[5]	41	75
¹¹⁷Nb^[6]	41	76
This table header & footer: view

^ ^mNb – Excited nuclear isomer.
^ ( ) – Uncertainty (1σしぐま) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.
^ # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).
^ ^a ^b ^c # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).
^ Modes of decay:

EC: Electron capture

IT: Isomeric transition

n: Neutron emission

p: Proton emission
^ Bold italics symbol as daughter – Daughter product is nearly stable.
^ Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.
^ ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.

Niobium-92

Niobium-92 is an extinct radionuclide^[7] with a half-life of 34.7 million years, decaying predominantly via βべーた⁺ decay. Its abundance relative to the stable ⁹³Nb in the early Solar System, estimated at 1.7×10⁻⁵, has been measured to investigate the origin of p-nuclei.^[7]^[8] A higher initial abundance of ⁹²Nb has been estimated for material in the outer protosolar disk (sampled from the meteorite NWA 6704), suggesting that this nuclide was predominantly formed via the gamma process (photodisintegration) in a nearby core-collapse supernova.^[9]

Niobium-92, along with niobium-94, has been detected in refined samples of terrestrial niobium and may originate from bombardment by cosmic ray muons in Earth's crust.^[10]

References

^ Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.
^ "Standard Atomic Weights: Niobium". CIAAW. 2017.
^ Prohaska, Thomas; Irrgeher, Johanna; Benefield, Jacqueline; Böhlke, John K.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Ding, Tiping; Dunn, Philip J. H.; Gröning, Manfred; Holden, Norman E.; Meijer, Harro A. J. (2022-05-04). "Standard atomic weights of the elements 2021 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. doi:10.1515/pac-2019-0603. ISSN 1365-3075.
^ ^a ^b Ohnishi, Tetsuya; Kubo, Toshiyuki; Kusaka, Kensuke; et al. (2010). "Identification of 45 New Neutron-Rich Isotopes Produced by In-Flight Fission of a ²³⁸U Beam at 345 MeV/nucleon". J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 79 (7). Physical Society of Japan: 073201. arXiv:1006.0305. Bibcode:2010JPSJ...79g3201T. doi:10.1143/JPSJ.79.073201.
^ Shimizu, Yohei; et al. (2018). "Observation of New Neutron-rich Isotopes among Fission Fragments from In-flight Fission of 345MeV=nucleon 238U: Search for New Isotopes Conducted Concurrently with Decay Measurement Campaigns". Journal of the Physical Society of Japan. 87 (1): 014203. Bibcode:2018JPSJ...87a4203S. doi:10.7566/JPSJ.87.014203.
^ Sumikama, T.; et al. (2021). "Observation of new neutron-rich isotopes in the vicinity of Zr110". Physical Review C. 103 (1): 014614. Bibcode:2021PhRvC.103a4614S. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.103.014614. hdl:10261/260248. S2CID 234019083.
^ ^a ^b Iizuka, Tsuyoshi; Lai, Yi-Jen; Akram, Waheed; Amelin, Yuri; Schönbächler, Maria (2016). "The initial abundance and distribution of ⁹²Nb in the Solar System". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 439: 172–181. arXiv:1602.00966. Bibcode:2016E&PSL.439..172I. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2016.02.005. S2CID 119299654.
^ Hibiya, Y; Iizuka, T; Enomoto, H (2019). THE INITIAL ABUNDANCE OF NIOBIUM-92 IN THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (50th ed.). Retrieved 7 September 2019.
^ Hibiya, Y.; Iizuka, T.; Enomoto, H.; Hayakawa, T. (2023). "Evidence for enrichment of niobium-92 in the outer protosolar disk". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 942 (L15): L15. Bibcode:2023ApJ...942L..15H. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acab5d. S2CID 255414098.
^ Clayton, Donald D.; Morgan, John A. (1977). "Muon production of ^92,94Nb in the Earth's crust". Nature. 266 (5604): 712–713. doi:10.1038/266712a0. S2CID 4292459.

Isotope masses from:
- Audi, Georges; Bersillon, Olivier; Blachot, Jean; Wapstra, Aaldert Hendrik (2003), "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties", Nuclear Physics A, 729: 3–128, Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A, doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001
Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from:
- de Laeter, John Robert; Böhlke, John Karl; De Bièvre, Paul; Hidaka, Hiroshi; Peiser, H. Steffen; Rosman, Kevin J. R.; Taylor, Philip D. P. (2003). "Atomic weights of the elements. Review 2000 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 75 (6): 683–800. doi:10.1351/pac200375060683.
- Wieser, Michael E. (2006). "Atomic weights of the elements 2005 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 78 (11): 2051–2066. doi:10.1351/pac200678112051.
"News & Notices: Standard Atomic Weights Revised". International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. 19 October 2005.
Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources.
- Audi, Georges; Bersillon, Olivier; Blachot, Jean; Wapstra, Aaldert Hendrik (2003), "The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties", Nuclear Physics A, 729: 3–128, Bibcode:2003NuPhA.729....3A, doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001
- National Nuclear Data Center. "NuDat 2.x database". Brookhaven National Laboratory.
- Holden, Norman E. (2004). "11. Table of the Isotopes". In Lide, David R. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (85th ed.). Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9.

[4] Nb – Excited nuclear isomer.

[5] ( ) – Uncertainty (1σしぐま) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.

[TMS-6] # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).

[TNN-7] # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).

[8] Modes of decay:

EC: Electron capture

IT: Isomeric transition

n: Neutron emission

p: Proton emission

[9] Bold italics symbol as daughter – Daughter product is nearly stable.

[10] Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.

[11] ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.

[NUBASE2020-1] Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.

[2] "Standard Atomic Weights: Niobium". CIAAW. 2017.

[CIAAW2021-3] Prohaska, Thomas; Irrgeher, Johanna; Benefield, Jacqueline; Böhlke, John K.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Ding, Tiping; Dunn, Philip J. H.; Gröning, Manfred; Holden, Norman E.; Meijer, Harro A. J. (2022-05-04). "Standard atomic weights of the elements 2021 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. doi:10.1515/pac-2019-0603. ISSN 1365-3075.

[Ohnishi-12] Ohnishi, Tetsuya; Kubo, Toshiyuki; Kusaka, Kensuke; et al. (2010). "Identification of 45 New Neutron-Rich Isotopes Produced by In-Flight Fission of a ²³⁸U Beam at 345 MeV/nucleon". J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 79 (7). Physical Society of Japan: 073201. arXiv:1006.0305. Bibcode:2010JPSJ...79g3201T. doi:10.1143/JPSJ.79.073201.

[13] Shimizu, Yohei; et al. (2018). "Observation of New Neutron-rich Isotopes among Fission Fragments from In-flight Fission of 345MeV=nucleon 238U: Search for New Isotopes Conducted Concurrently with Decay Measurement Campaigns". Journal of the Physical Society of Japan. 87 (1): 014203. Bibcode:2018JPSJ...87a4203S. doi:10.7566/JPSJ.87.014203.

[14] Sumikama, T.; et al. (2021). "Observation of new neutron-rich isotopes in the vicinity of Zr110". Physical Review C. 103 (1): 014614. Bibcode:2021PhRvC.103a4614S. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.103.014614. hdl:10261/260248. S2CID 234019083.

[iizuka-15] Iizuka, Tsuyoshi; Lai, Yi-Jen; Akram, Waheed; Amelin, Yuri; Schönbächler, Maria (2016). "The initial abundance and distribution of ⁹²Nb in the Solar System". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 439: 172–181. arXiv:1602.00966. Bibcode:2016E&PSL.439..172I. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2016.02.005. S2CID 119299654.

[16] Hibiya, Y; Iizuka, T; Enomoto, H (2019). THE INITIAL ABUNDANCE OF NIOBIUM-92 IN THE OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM (PDF). Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (50th ed.). Retrieved 7 September 2019.

[92NbOuter-17] Hibiya, Y.; Iizuka, T.; Enomoto, H.; Hayakawa, T. (2023). "Evidence for enrichment of niobium-92 in the outer protosolar disk". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 942 (L15): L15. Bibcode:2023ApJ...942L..15H. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acab5d. S2CID 255414098.

[18] Clayton, Donald D.; Morgan, John A. (1977). "Muon production of ^92,94Nb in the Earth's crust". Nature. 266 (5604): 712–713. doi:10.1038/266712a0. S2CID 4292459.

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