Properties of Plutonium (Pu)

Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol (Pu) and atomic number 94. It is a member of the actinide series of elements and is primarily produced in nuclear reactors as a byproduct of uranium fission.

The following table provides a comprehensive list of plutonium (Pu) properties in both SI and US customary/Imperial units at normal temperature and pressure (NTP).

Click on the icon to switch between Metric and Imperial units.

Table of Plutonium Properties
Physical Properties
Metric
Crystal StructureMonoclinic
Atomic Number94
Molar Mass244 g/mol
Density19840 kg/m3
Mechanical PropertiesMetric
Young’s Modulus (E)87.5 GPa
Shear Modulus (G)34.5 GPa
Bulk Modulus (K)42.4 GPa
Poisson’s Ratio (ν)0.18
Thermal PropertiesMetric
Melting Point640 °C
Boiling Point3228 °C
Thermal Conductivity (27°C)6.74 W/m·K
Specific Heat Capacity (Cp) (25°C)133 J/kg·K
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (αL) (25°C)4.67×10-5 1/°C
Electrical PropertiesMetric
Electrical Resistivity1.46×10-4 Ω·cm

Unless stated otherwise, all values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F) and 1 atm pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)

References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) A.M. Howatson, P.G. Lun, J.D. Todd, P.D. Engineering Tables and Data. United Kingdom: University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, 2009.