Disequilibrium · disequilibrium:nuclear-binding-difference

Nuclear binding-energy difference

Nuclei that can decay, fission or fuse into more tightly bound ones. Energy per reaction is a million times chemical.

symbol ΔE_bindNuclear physicsenergy form nuclearexergy positivealso: radioactive decay, fissile configuration, fusion fuel, nuclear fuel, fissile fuel

Atlas record: 3 claims reference this disequilibrium — 2 established and 1 demonstrated.

Explorerelations · matrix context · routes · sources · cite

conditions: radioisotope required

3claims174enumerated routes7routes with complete-composition evidence42candidate routes not searched6cited sources

Relations

drives · 3

Nuclear binding-energy difference—drives→Radioactive decayestablished

Nuclear binding-energy difference—drives→Nuclear fissionestablished

for neutron-induced fission: a fissionable nuclide and an incident neutron in an energy range with non-zero fission cross-section
critical geometry is required only for a self-sustaining chain reaction; a moderator is reactor-design dependent

About 200 MeV per event, almost all as fragment kinetic energy (Frisch 1939); thermalisation is a separate step.

Nuclear binding-energy difference—drives→Nuclear fusiondemonstrated

for a power-producing D–T thermonuclear plasma: ion temperatures of order 10 keV and a sufficient density–confinement product (Lawson); these are power-balance conditions, not prerequisites for an individual fusion reaction

Fusion reactions and target-level fusion energy release are experimentally demonstrated (target gain > 1 at NIF, 2022–2024); net electrical output from a fusion power plant is not.

Matrix context

D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.

C.01 Thermoelectric C.02 Thermionic C.03 Thermoacoustic C.04 Pyroelectric C.05 Thermogalvanic C.06 Thermomagnetic C.07 Thermophotovoltaic C.08 Heat engine (thermomechanical)C.09 Caloric (magneto/electro/elasto)C.10 Piezoelectric C.11 Flexoelectric C.12 Triboelectric C.13 Electrostatic (variable capacitance)C.14 Electromagnetic induction C.15 Magnetostrictive C.16 Magnetoelectric C.17 Spin caloritronic C.18 Photovoltaic C.19 Photoelectrochemical C.20 Photothermal C.21 Electrochemical C.22 Osmotic / salinity-gradient C.23 Electrokinetic C.24 Turbomachinery C.25 Magnetohydrodynamic C.26 Radiovoltaic C.27 Nuclear heat C.28 Rectenna C.29 Thermochemical C.30 Biological C.31 Fluctuation / information-driven C.32 Photon momentum C.33 Thermodiffusive C.34 Marangoni C.35 Acoustoelectric C.36 Photodiffusive C.37 Thermo-osmotic C.38 Electrohydrodynamic C.39 Radioluminescent C.40 Thermopolarization

Enumerated routes through this · 174 (showing 24)

Betavoltaic battery5/5 est · demonstrated
PWR primary heat delivery5/5 est · demonstrated
Radioluminescent (beta-photovoltaic) nuclear battery7/7 est · demonstrated
Radioisotope thermoelectric generator7/7 est · demonstrated
Radioisotope heater unit7/7 est · demonstrated
Nuclear fission steam plant7/7 est · demonstrated
Boiling-water reactor direct-steam plant7/7 est · demonstrated
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Radioactive decay → Beta particles → Radioluminescence → Light4/4 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Radioactive decay → Alpha particles → Radioluminescence → Light4/4 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermal emission → Light4/4 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Hot gas → Thermal emission → Light4/4 est · candidate
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fusion → Temperature gradient → Thermal emission → Light2/4 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Radioactive decay → Alpha particles → Alphavoltaic effect → Electron–hole pairs → Electrical work5/5 est · candidate
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Alkali-metal thermal-to-electric conversion → Ionic current → Electrical work3/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Ionic thermoelectric effect → Ionic current → Electrical work5/5 est · candidate
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Marangoni effect → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermal shape-memory effect → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermochemical redox cycle → Chemical fuel (H₂, CO, syngas) → Chemical fuel5/5 est · candidate
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermopolarization effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work3/5 est · weakly supported
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermopolarization effect → Separated surface charge → Electrical work3/5 est · weakly supported
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Seebeck effect → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Heat conduction → Heat flow → Useful heat5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermionic emission → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Thermogalvanic effect → Ionic current → Electrical work5/5 est · extends a recorded pathway

Cited sources · 6

[1]
M. A. Prelas, et al.. A review of nuclear batteries (2014)
Progress in Nuclear Energy 75, 117–148 · doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.04.007 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[2]
O. Hahn, F. Strassmann. Über den Nachweis und das Verhalten der bei der Bestrahlung des Urans mittels Neutronen entstehenden Erdalkalimetalle (1939)
Naturwissenschaften 27, 11–15 · doi:10.1007/BF01488241 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[3]
O. R. Frisch. Physical evidence for the division of heavy nuclei under neutron bombardment (1939)
Nature 143, 276 · doi:10.1038/143276a0 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[4]
H. A. Bethe. Energy production in stars (1939)
Physical Review 55, 434 · doi:10.1103/PhysRev.55.434 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[5]
J. D. Lawson. Some criteria for a power producing thermonuclear reactor (1957)
Proceedings of the Physical Society B 70, 6–10 · doi:10.1088/0370-1301/70/1/303 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
[6]
H. Abu-Shawareb, et al. (Indirect Drive ICF Collaboration). Achievement of target gain larger than unity in an inertial fusion experiment (2024)
Physical Review Letters 132, 065102 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.065102 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record

Cite this entity

Physical Transformation Atlas (2026). entity disequilibrium:nuclear-binding-difference: Nuclear binding-energy difference. Dataset revision rbfbfcbb70e57 (hash of the canonical data). https://physical-transformation-atlas.wldud5192.workers.dev/e/disequilibrium/nuclear-binding-difference

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