Isotopes of californium Isotopes of californium Californium (Cf) is an artificial element, and thus a standard atomic weight cannot be given. Like all artificial elements, it has no stable isotopes. The first isotope to be synthesized was Cf in 1950. There are 20 known radioisotopes ranging from Cf to Cf and one nuclear isomer, Cf. The longest-lived isotope is Cf with a half-life of 900 years. Californium-252 (Cf-252) undergoes spontaneous fission and is used in small sized neutron sources. Fission neutrons have an energy range of 0 to 13 MeV with a mean value of 2.3 MeV and a most probable value of
Californium compounds emerald green compound with a hexagonal structure that can be prepared by reacting CfO with hydrochloric acid at 500 °C. CfCl is then used as a feeder stock to form the yellow-orange triiodide CfI, which in turn can be reduced to the lavender-violet diiodide CfI. Californium(III) fluoride (CfF) is a yellow-green solid with a crystal symmetry that gradually changes from orthorhombic to trigonal when heated above room temperature. Californium(IV) fluoride (CfF) is a bright green solid with a monoclinic crystal structure. Californium(II) iodide (CfI) is a deep purple solid with a stable rhombohedral structure at room temperature and an unstable