Title: Plutonium Pit Production | Department of Energy
Headings: Plutonium Pit Production
National Nuclear Security Administration Home
Plutonium Pit Production
What is plutonium?
How will NNSA address plutonium pit production?
Current and future needs for plutonium pits
Safety and security of NNSA’s plutonium inventory
The role of NEPA
History of plutonium/pit work

Content: The infrastructure and critical skills required for pit production and other plutonium capabilities are essential to the Nuclear Security Enterprise. Given the uncertainties regarding plutonium aging and the evolving geopolitical landscape, the United States cannot postpone reestablishing this critical capability. Delaying the restoration of this capability could result in significant cost increases and risks to national security. NNSA and the Department of Defense continue the drive to enhance the safety of our nation’s nuclear weapons. What is plutonium? Plutonium's placement on the periodic table
Molten plutonium
Plutonium (Pu) was discovered in 1940 by Glenn Seaborg and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a radioactive metallic element with the atomic number 94 (the number of protons in the nucleus). This reactive metal has a bright silvery-gray appearance, similar to nickel. There are various isotopes of plutonium that are “fissionable,” meaning the atom’s nucleus can easily split apart if struck by a neutron. Each isotope of plutonium has a different “half-life,” which is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a given sample to decay. Various uses have been found for plutonium as a source of energy.