²³⁶Pu Contaminant in ²³⁸Pu Produced in Power Reactors

The utility of ²³⁸Pu produced from ²³⁷Np irradiation depends on the amount of ²³⁶Pu present. Calculations of ²³⁶Pu produced by the (n,2n) reaction on ²³⁷Np indicate that light-water power reactors produce ²³⁸Pu containing 10 to 20 times as much ²³⁶Pu as that produced in the USAEC D₂O-or graphite-moderated plutonium production reactors, and the liquid-metal fast breeders produce 300 to 400 times as much ²³⁶Pu as the production reactors.