Nickel-59

Properties and data of the isotope ⁵⁹Ni.

Contents

General Data

Radioactive Decay

Parent Nuclides

Isotones und Isobares

Literature

Nickel-59 is a radioisotope of the chemical element nickel, which has 31 neutrons in its atomic nucleus in addition to the element-specific 28 protons; the sum of the number of these atomic nucleus building blocks results in a mass number of 59.

⁵⁹Ni is measured in isotope geology to determine the age of extraterrestrial materials (dust, meteorites).

There are uncertainties regarding the half-life of the nuclide (see notes below).

See also: List of individual Nickel isotopes (and general data sources).

General data

Name of the isotope:Nickel-59; Ni-59Symbol:⁵⁹Ni or 5928NiMass number A:59 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:28 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:31Nucleon pairing (Z - N):even - oddNuclear ratio (N/Z ratio):1.1071428571429 (= neutron-proton ratio)Neutron excess (N-Z):3Isotopic mass:58.93434544(38) u (atomic weight of Nickel-59)Nuclide mass:58.9189856 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-61.15683 MeVMass defect:0.553367852 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:515.45883393 MeV (per nucleus)
8.73659041 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 8.99928(5) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 8.5985(11) MeV (first proton)Half-life:7.6(5) × 10⁴ aDecay constant λ:2.890128666616 × 10^-13 s^-1Specific activity α:3000821023.0528 Bq g^-1
0.081103270893319 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)3/2-Mirror nucleus:Gallium-59Year of discovery:1951

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 7.6(5) × 10⁴ a respectively 2.398326374069 × 10¹² seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	Details	γ energy (intensity)
EC/β⁺	⁵⁹Co	100 %	1.0730(5) MeV	EE: 99 % β⁺: 0.000015 %

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotope is: ⁵⁹Cu.

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 31) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 59) with Nickel-59. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

Z	Isotone N = 31	Isobar A = 59
15	⁴⁶P
16	⁴⁷S
17	⁴⁸Cl
18	⁴⁹Ar
19	⁵⁰K	⁵⁹K
20	⁵¹Ca
21	⁵²Sc	⁵⁹Sc
22	⁵³Ti	⁵⁹Ti
23	⁵⁴V	⁵⁹V
24	⁵⁵Cr	⁵⁹Cr
25	⁵⁶Mn	⁵⁹Mn
26	⁵⁷Fe	⁵⁹Fe
27	⁵⁸Co	⁵⁹Co
28	⁵⁹Ni	⁵⁹Ni
29	⁶⁰Cu	⁵⁹Cu
30	⁶¹Zn	⁵⁹Zn
31	⁶²Ga	⁵⁹Ga
32	⁶³Ge	⁵⁹Ge
33	⁶⁴As
34	⁶⁵Se
35	⁶⁶Br
36	⁶⁷Kr

Data changes (history)

In the literature, three values are given for the half-life of nickel-59: 108000 ± 13000 years [1], 76000 ± 5000 years [2] (adopted here) and 92700 ± 5000 years (see explanations under [3]).

External data and identifiers

Adopted Levels, Gammas:NuDat 59Ni

Literature and References

[1] - W. Rühm, B. Schneck, K. Knie et al.:
A new half-life determination of ⁵⁹Ni.
In: Planetary and Space Science, 42, 3, (1994), DOI 10.1016/0032-0633(94)90085-X.

[2] - K. Nishiizumi, R. Gensho, M. Honda:
Half-life of ⁵⁹Ni.
In: Radiochimica Acta, 29(2/3), (1981), DOI 10.1524/ract.1981.29.23.113.

[3] - Robin Golser:
Preparation of a 55Fe-AMS standard and the precise measurement of the neutron capture cross-section of 54Fe(n,gamma).
In: Thesis, Universität Wien, (2009), DOI 10.25365/thesis.6971.