Determination of the Half-Life of 59Ni and the 60Ni(n,2n) Cross Section

The Cross section of the reaction 60Ni(n,2n)59Ni for 14.8 MeV neutrons has been determined to be (410±120) mb by measuring the contents of 59Ni in a fast neutron irradiated nickel foil via accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). This new cross section is 4 times larger than the value of 100 mb as reported in literature. The half-life has been deduced to be (9.5±2.5)x104 y by using the result of a radioactivity measurement of 59Ni produced by thermal neutrons in the 58Ni(n,γ)59Ni reaction.