Isotopes of Scandium

List, data and properties of all known isotopes of Scandium.

Content

Atomic properties

Decay properties

NMR active nuclides

Radiation protection

References

The chemical element scandium, which is one of the rare earth metals, occurs in nature only in the form of its stable isotope Sc-45. All other Sc isotopes are unstable and decay with half-lives of a few days (Sc-46, Sc-47) or much less.

About 100 core isomers of scandium are known, of which Sc-44m with a Half-life of 58.6 hours is the most long-lived.

The standard atomic mass of scandium is given as 44.955908(5) u.

Isotope Table: Scandium

The two following tables list the most important data and properties of the Scandium isotopes. Further information on the individual Scandium isotopes is listed on separate pages and can be accessed via the link in column 1.

Atomic Properties

Isotope Nuclide	E	N	Atomic Mass [Nuclear Mass] {Mass Excess}	Spin I (h/2π)	Parent
1	2	3	4	5	6
Scandium-36	3621Sc	15	36.01492(54) u [36.0034 u] {13.89789 MeV}
Scandium-37	3721Sc	16	37.00305(32) u [36.99153 u] {2.84106 MeV}	7/2
Scandium-38	3821Sc	17	37.99544(21) u [37.98392 u] {-4.24761 MeV}	(2-)
Scandium-38m	38m21Sc	17	37.99544(21) u [37.98392 u] {-4.24761 MeV}
Scandium-39	3921Sc	18	38.984790(26) u [38.97327 u] {-14.16802 MeV}	(7/2-)	⁴³Cr
Scandium-40	4021Sc	19	39.977967(3) u [39.966447 u] {-20.52361 MeV}	4-	⁴⁰Ti
Scandium-41	4121Sc	20	40.96925110(9) u [40.9577311 u] {-28.64242 MeV}	7/2-	⁴¹Ti ⁴³Cr
Scandium-42	4221Sc	21	41.96551652(18) u [41.9539966 u] {-32.12115 MeV}	0+	⁴²Ti
Scandium-42m	42m21Sc	21	41.96551652(18) u [41.9539966 u] {-32.12115 MeV}	7+
Scandium-43	4321Sc	22	42.9611505(20) u [42.9496305 u] {-36.18808 MeV}	7/2-	⁴³Ti
Scandium-43m1	43m121Sc	22	42.9611505(20) u [42.9496305 u] {-36.18808 MeV}	3/2+
Scandium-43m2	43m221Sc	22	42.9611505(20) u [42.9496305 u] {-36.18808 MeV}	(19/2)-
Scandium-44	4421Sc	23	43.9594029(19) u [43.9478829 u] {-37.81596 MeV}	2+	⁴⁴Ti
Scandium-44m1	44m121Sc	23	43.9594029(19) u [43.9478829 u] {-37.81596 MeV}	1-
Scandium-44m2	44m221Sc	23	43.9594029(19) u [43.9478829 u] {-37.81596 MeV}	0-
Scandium-44m3	44m321Sc	23	43.9594029(19) u [43.9478829 u] {-37.81596 MeV}	6+
Scandium-45	4521Sc	24	44.955908(5) u [44.944388 u] {-41.07143 MeV}	7/2-	⁴⁵Ca ⁴⁵Ti
Scandium-45m	45m21Sc	24	44.9559119(9) u [44.9443919 u] {-41.0678 MeV}	3/2+
Scandium-46	4621Sc	25	45.9551719(9) u [45.9436519 u] {-41.75711 MeV}	4+
Scandium-46m1	46m121Sc	25	45.9551719(9) u [45.9436519 u] {-41.75711 MeV}	6+
Scandium-46m2	46m221Sc	25	45.9551719(9) u [45.9436519 u] {-41.75711 MeV}	1-
Scandium-47	4721Sc	26	46.9524075(22) u [46.9408875 u] {-44.33213 MeV}	7/2-	⁴⁷Ca
Scandium-47m	47m21Sc	26	46.9524075(22) u [46.9408875 u] {-44.33213 MeV}	(3/2)+
Scandium-48	4821Sc	27	47.952231(6) u [47.940711 u] {-44.49654 MeV}	6+
Scandium-49	4921Sc	28	48.950024(4) u [48.938504 u] {-46.55234 MeV}	7/2-	⁴⁹Ca
Scandium-50	5021Sc	29	49.952176(16) u [49.940656 u] {-44.54777 MeV}	5+	⁵⁰Ca
Scandium-50m	50m21Sc	29	49.952176(16) u [49.940656 u] {-44.54777 MeV}	2+
Scandium-51	5121Sc	30	50.953592(21) u [50.942072 u] {-43.22877 MeV}	(7/2)-	⁵¹Ca
Scandium-52	5221Sc	31	51.95658(9) u [51.94506 u] {-40.44547 MeV}	3(+)	⁵²Ca
Scandium-53	5321Sc	32	52.95823(10) u [52.94671 u] {-38.9085 MeV}	(7/2-)	⁵³Ca
Scandium-54	5421Sc	33	53.96362(29) u [53.9521 u] {-33.88775 MeV}	(3)+	⁵⁴Ca
Scandium-54m	54m21Sc	33	53.96362(29) u [53.9521 u] {-33.88775 MeV}	(4,5)+
Scandium-55	5521Sc	34	54.96762(49) u [54.9561 u] {-30.16178 MeV}	(7/2-)	⁵⁵Ca
Scandium-56	5621Sc	35	55.97332(63) u [55.9618 u] {-24.85226 MeV}	(1+)	⁵⁶Ca
Scandium-57	5721Sc	36	56.97779(75) u [56.96627 u] {-20.68848 MeV}	7/2-~	⁵⁷Ca
Scandium-58	5821Sc	37	57.98403(43) u [57.97251 u] {-14.87596 MeV}	(3+)
Scandium-59	5921Sc	38	58.98922(97) u [58.9777 u] {-10.04151 MeV}	7/2-
Scandium-60	6021Sc	39	59.99571(97) u [59.98419 u] {-3.99611 MeV}	3+
Scandium-61	6121Sc	40	61.00100(64) u [60.98948 u] {0.93149 MeV}	7/2

Radioactive Decay Properties

Isotope	Radioactive Decay				Extern
	Half-life	Decay Mode	Probability	Energy
7	8	9	10	11	12
Sc-36		p → ³⁵Ca			AL
Sc-37		p → ³⁶Ca			AL
Sc-38	300 ns	p → ³⁷Ca	?	0.900 MeV	AL
Sc-38m		p → ³⁷Ca			AL
Sc-39	300 ns	p → ³⁸Ca	100 %		AL
Sc-40	182.3(7) ms	EC/β⁺ → ⁴⁰Ca EC, p ³⁹K EC, α → ³⁶Ar	99.54 % 0.44 % 0.017 %	14.320(28) MeV 5.991 MeV 7.279 MeV	AL
Sc-41	596.3(17) ms	EC/β⁺ → ⁴¹Ca		6.49548(16) MeV	AL
Sc-42	680.79(28) ms	EC β⁺ → ⁴²Ca	100 %	6.42609(22) MeV	AL
Sc-42m	61.7(4) s	EC β⁺ → ⁴²Ca	100 %	7.042 MeV	AL
Sc-43	3.891(12) h	EC/β⁺ → ⁴³Ca	100 %	2.2207(19) MeV	AL
Sc-43m1	438(7) μs	Iso → ⁴³Sc	100 %		AL
Sc-43m2	472(4) ns				AL
Sc-44	3.97(4) h	EC β⁺ → ⁴⁴Ca	100 %	3.6527(18) MeV	AL
Sc-44m1	154.8(8) ns				AL
Sc-44m2	51.0(3) μs				AL
Sc-44m3	58.61(10) h	Iso → ⁴⁴Sc EC β⁺ → ⁴⁴Ca	98.80(7) % 1.20(7) %	0.271 MeV 3.924 MeV	AL
Sc-45	stable				AL
Sc-45m	318(7) ms	Iso → ⁴⁵Sc			AL
Sc-46	83.79(4) d	β^- → ⁴⁶Ti	100 %	2.3666(7) MeV	AL
Sc-46m1	9.4(8) μs				AL
Sc-46m2	18.75(4) s	Iso → ⁴⁶Sc	100 %		AL
Sc-47	3.3492(6) d	β^- → ⁴⁷Ti	100 %	0.6008(19) MeV	AL
Sc-47m	272(8) ns				AL
Sc-48	43.67(9) h	β^- → ⁴⁸Ti	100 %	3.989(5) MeV	AL
Sc-49	57.2(2) min	β^- → ⁴⁹Ti	100 %	2.0025(27) MeV	AL
Sc-50	102.5(5) s	β^- → ⁵⁰Ti	100 %	6.884(15) MeV	AL
Sc-50m	0.35(4) s	Iso → ⁵⁰Sc β^- → ⁵⁰Ti	99.5(5) % < 1.0 %	6.89 MeV	AL
Sc-51	12.4(1) s	β^- → ⁵¹Ti β^-, n → ⁵⁰Ti	100 % ?	6.504(20) MeV 0.132(20) MeV	AL
Sc-52	8.2(2) s	β^- → ⁵²Ti	100 %	9.03(8) MeV	AL
Sc-53	2.6(4) s	β^- → ⁵³Ti β^-, n → ⁵²Ti	> 99.9 % < 0.1 %	7.92(14) MeV 2.49(9) MeV	AL
Sc-54	526(15) ms	β^- → ⁵⁴Ti β^-, n → ⁵³Ti	85(9) % 16(9) %	11.73(28) MeV 4.87(29) MeV	AL
Sc-54m	2.77(2) μs	Iso → ⁵⁴Sc	100 %		AL
Sc-55	105(6) ms	β^- → ⁵⁵Ti β^-, n → ⁵⁴Ti	> 99.9 % < 0.1 %	11.51(48) MeV 7.39(46) MeV	AL
Sc-56	26(6) ms	β^- → ⁵⁶Ti β^-, n → ⁵⁵Ti	100 % ?	14.47(60) MeV 8.74(61) MeV	AL
Sc-57	13(4) ms	β^- → ⁵⁷Ti	100 %	12.92(133) MeV	AL
Sc-58	12(5) ms	β^- → ⁵⁸Ti	100 %	16.23(45) MeV	AL
Sc-59	10 ms	β^- → ⁵⁹Ti β^-, n → ⁵⁸Ti	100 % ?	15.21(45) MeV 12.74(45) MeV	AL
Sc-60	0.003 s				AL
Sc-61	620 ns	β^- → ⁶¹Ti β^-, n → ⁶⁰Ti β^-, 2n → ⁵⁹Ti	? ? ?	17.28(72) MeV	AL

Notes (related to the columns):

1 - name of the nuclide, isotope.
2 - E: isotope symbol with mass number (superscript; number of nucleons) and Atomic number (subscript; number of protons).
3 - N: number of neutrons.
4 - relative atomic mass of the Scandium isotope (isotopic mass including electrons) and the mass of the atomic nucleus in square brackets (nuclear mass, nuclide mass without electrons), each related to ¹²C = 12.00000 [2]. In addition, the mass excess is given in MeV.
5 - nuclear spin I, unit: h/2π.
6 - source nuclides: Possible, assumed or actual source nuclides (mother nuclides, parent nuclides). If applicable, the corresponding decay modes can be found in the data for the respective starting nuclide.

7 - isotope notation in short form.
8 - decay: half-live of the Scandium isotope (a = years; ; d = days; h = hours; min = minutes; s = seconds).
9 - decay mode: type of decay into the respective daughter nuclides with n = neutron emission; p = proton emission; α = alpha decay; β^- = beta minus decay with electron emission; EC = electron capture; β⁺ = positron emission; ε = β⁺ and/or EC; Iso = isomeric transition; CD = cluster decay; SF = spontaneous decay.
10 - decay probability in percent (%).
11 - decay energy; Particle energy related to decay type.
12 - other information and notes: AL = Adopted Levels (link to external data [1]).

Miscellaneous:

()- Numbers in brackets: uncertainty to represent the spread of the reported value.
~ - Theoretical values or systematic trends.
- unlisted-: Nuclides that have already been mentioned in the literature but for some reason can no longer be found in the current nuclide tables because their discovery e.g. has not confirmed.

NMR active Scandium nuclides

Nuclide quantity ¹) spin	Nuclear magnetic moment μ/μ_N	Gyromagnetic ratio {Quadrupole moment}	Resonant frequency v₀ bei 1 T	Relative sensitivity H₀ = const. v₀ = const. ³)
⁴⁵Sc 100 % 7/2-	+4,75400(8)	6,5081 {- 0,220(2)}	10,3591	0,30244 5,1094

¹) Quantity Percentage of natural occurrence.

²) Gyromagnetic ratio: 10⁷ rad T^-1 s^-1
Quadrupole moment: Q [barn] = [100 fm²]

³) Related to ¹H = 1,000.

Radiation Protection

According to the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV 2018, Germany), the following values (columns 1 to 7) apply to the handling of Scandium radionuclides:

Nuclide	Limit Value		HASS limit	SC	Half-life
Sc-43	10⁶ Bq	10 Bq/g			3.9 h
Sc-44	10⁵ Bq	10 Bq/g	0,03 TBq		4.0 h
Sc-44m+	10⁷ Bq	1 Bg/g			2.4 d
Sc-46	10⁶ Bq	0,1 Bq/g	0,03 TBq	1 Bq/cm²	83.8 d
Sc-47	10⁶ Bq	100 Bq/g	0,7 TBq	10 Bq cm^-2	3.4 d
Sc-48	10⁵ Bq	1 Bq/g	0,02 TBq	1 Bq cm^-2	43.7 h
Sc-49	10⁵ Bq	10³ Bq/g			57.2 min

(HASS = High-Activity Sealed Radioactive Sources; SC = surface contamination)

Literature Sources and References

Properties of the Scandium nucleides

[1] - NuDat: National Nuclear Data Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, based on ENSDF and the Nuclear Wallet Cards.

[2] - G. Audi et. al.: The NUBASE evaluation of nuclear and decay properties. Nuclear Physics, (2003), DOI 10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001.

[3] - Live Chart of Nuclides. Nuclear structure and decay data.

Scandium: NMR properties - ⁴⁵Sc-NMR

[4] - N. J. Stone: Table of nuclear magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments. Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, (2005), DOI 10.1016/j.adt.2005.04.001.

[5] - Pekka Pyykkö: Year-2008 nuclear quadrupole moments. Molecular Physics, (2008), DOI 10.1080/00268970802018367.

[6] - Pekka Pyykkö: Year-2017 nuclear quadrupole moments. Molecular Physics, (2018), DOI 10.1080/00268976.2018.1426131.

[7] - N. J. Stone: Table of recommended nuclear magnetic dipole moments. IAEA, (2019).

More sources:

[8] - Isotopic abundances, atomic weights and isotopic masses: see respective keyword.

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Last update: 2022-12-12

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