What are the benefits/drawbacks of using thorium in nuclear power plants?
In: Physics
Thorium is hard to use because you have to irradiate it before it becomes usable nuclear fuel, whereas uranium can be put in reactors without pre-irradiation.
On the other hand thorium can allow breeder-reactor capabilities using slow rather than fast neutrons. This may end up being an advantage over fast-neutron breeders, but it’s unclear at this time. Breeding makes nuclear fuel long-term sustainable, lasting billions of years if it powered the entire world.
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