Er
Erbium
Z = 68 · Lanthanide · 167.3 u
Nuclear Engineering Significance
Used as a burnable absorber in some reactor fuel designs. Er-167 (σ_a = 659 b) provides a self-shielding effect that produces a more gradual burnout than gadolinium, giving more uniform reactivity control over the fuel cycle. Er₂O₃ has been used in VVER and some PWR fuel concepts.
Basic properties
- Atomic number (Z)
- 68
- Standard atomic mass
- 167.3 u
- Category
- Lanthanide
Isotopes & cross-section data
No nuclide data for this element in the reference database.
The NRDP database focuses on nuclides relevant to reactor physics. For full isotope data, see NNDC NuDat 3.