Coaxing a Neutron from Deuterium

[DrChinese]

Question: What would it take to coax a deuterium atom to give up its neutron? In terms of input energy? Would you need to hit it with an energetic electron to have a reasonable chance of disassociation?

Thanks!

[mathman]

I suspect an electron wouldn't work. However, there is a known (n,2n) reaction, which would leave a proton free. The following web page will give you more information.

http://atom.kaeri.re.kr/cgi-bin/nuclide?nuc=H-2&n=2