Format recap (kept constant): Isotope is written with mass number as a left superscript (e.g., ⁸Li). Columns: Isotope | Z | A | Stable? | Half‑life | Decay mode(s) | Daughter | Radiation | Origin | Uses | Notes.
| Isotope | Z | A | Stable? | Half‑life | Decay mode(s) | Daughter | Radiation | Origin | Uses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⁴Li | 3 | 4 | Unstable (unbound) | ≈ 9.1×10⁻²³ s | p emission | ³He + p | protons | Synthetic (accelerators) | Research (few‑body resonance) | Very short‑lived unbound resonance. (Wikipedia, Marvin Weather Station) |
| ⁵Li | 3 | 5 | Unstable (unbound) | ≈ 3.7×10⁻²² s | p emission | ⁴He + p | protons | Synthetic (accelerators) | Research (n–α and p–α resonance; reaction‑rate benchmarks) | Classic unbound state; width O(MeV). (Wikipedia, Marvin Weather Station) |
| ⁶Li | 3 | 6 | Stable | stable | — | — | — | Natural | Energy/industry: tritium breeding via ⁶Li(n,α)³H; neutron detectors (⁶Li‑glass, ⁶LiF/⁶LiI:Eu); fusion blankets | One of two stable Li nuclides. (Winter Group, World Nuclear Association) |
| ⁷Li | 3 | 7 | Stable | stable | — | — | — | Natural | Energy/industry: reactor coolant chemistry (⁷LiOH); molten‑salt fuels/coolants (FLiBe requires ⁷Li‑enrichment) | Dominant natural isotope. (World Nuclear Association) |
| ⁸Li | 3 | 8 | Unstable | 838.7 ms | β⁻ → ⁸Be (→ 2×⁴He); minor β‑delayed branches: β⁻n, β⁻2n, β⁻3n, β⁻α, β⁻d, β⁻t | ⁸Be (prompt → 2α) | β⁻ (minor delayed n/charged particles) | Synthetic | Research: antineutrino source (IsoDAR); β‑spectrum & delayed‑particle studies | Longest‑lived Li radioisotope. (TUNL Nuclear Data Project, Wikipedia) |
| ⁹Li | 3 | 9 | Unstable | 178.3 ms | β⁻ (≈50%) → ⁹Be (stable); β⁻n (≈50%) → ⁸Be (→ 2α) | ⁹Be, ⁸Be | β⁻; delayed n; α from ⁸Be breakup | Synthetic | Research/measurement: β‑delayed‑n calibrations; nuclear‑structure studies | Well‑studied split between β and β‑delayed‑n branches. (TUNL Nuclear Data Project, KAERI Atom) |
| ¹⁰Li | 3 | 10 | Unstable (unbound) | ≈ 2×10⁻²¹ s | n emission | ⁹Li + n | neutrons | Synthetic (accelerators) | Research (dripline & virtual s‑/p‑state system) | Neutron‑unbound; width‑derived lifetime. (Wikipedia) |
| ¹¹Li | 3 | 11 | Unstable | ≈ 8.7 ms | β⁻n (dominant) → ¹⁰Be; minor: β⁻ → ¹¹Be; β⁻2n → ⁹Be; β⁻3n → ⁸Be; small β⁻α/β⁻d/β⁻t | ¹⁰Be, ¹¹Be, ⁹Be, ⁸Be | β⁻; delayed n; α from ⁸Be breakup | Synthetic | Research: hallmark two‑neutron halo; tests of few‑body/halo models | Compiled half‑life values span ~8.5–9.0 ms. (Wikipedia, TUNL Nuclear Data Project, KAERI Atom) |
| ¹²Li | 3 | 12 | Unstable (unbound) | < 10 ns | n emission | ¹¹Li + n | neutrons | Synthetic (accelerators) | Research (continuum structure) | Very short‑lived; neutron‑unbound. (Wikipedia) |
| ¹³Li | 3 | 13 | Unstable (unbound) | ≈ 3.3×10⁻²¹ s | 2n emission | ¹¹Li + 2n | neutrons | Synthetic (accelerators) | Research (2n emission; extreme dripline) | Width‑derived lifetime; two‑neutron decay. (Wikipedia) |
Scope note: Totals below count observed ground‑state nuclides (ENSDF/IAEA). A conjectured ³Li has unconfirmed existence and is not included in the totals. (Wikipedia, IAEA, IAEA Nuclear Data Services)
Totals — Lithium
- Stable2 (⁶Li, ⁷Li)
- Unstable8 (⁴Li, ⁵Li, ⁸–¹³Li)
- Total isotopes10
Running cumulative totals (up to Z = 3)
- Cumulative total isotopes25 (H: 7 • He: 8 • Li: 10)
- Cumulative stable6 (H: 2 • He: 2 • Li: 2)
- Cumulative unstable19
Sources
- IAEA LiveChart / ENSDF (ground‑state properties; decay‑mode definitions), and NNDC NuDat 3 (wallet cards/decay radiation). (IAEA Nuclear Data Services, National Nuclear Data Center)
- TUNL half‑life tables (A=3–20): precise β⁻ half‑lives for ⁸Li (838.79 ms) and ⁹Li (177.7 ms). (TUNL Nuclear Data Project)
- KAERI nuclide sheets: detailed branches for ⁹Li (β and β‑delayed‑n) and ¹¹Li decay patterns. (KAERI Atom)
- Isotopes of lithium (compiled list): includes unbound resonances (⁴Li, ⁵Li, ¹⁰–¹³Li) with width‑derived lifetimes and multi‑neutron emission channels; latest edit recency noted. (Wikipedia)
- World Nuclear Association (application context): natural abundances; reactor uses of ⁷Li/⁶Li (coolant chemistry, tritium production). (World Nuclear Association)
Next: Beryllium (Z = 4)
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