Accelerators and fusion of elements

[Raynor]

Hi. On a general discussion forum, we were debating wether gold could be obtained from iron; I argued that this is possible, since we are at the moment recreating, in accelerators, even harsher conditions that those necessary for the creation of gold (i.e. those of a supernova core collapse). A fellow member made the following statement:
Quote:

I think that "syntetical" creation of iron or gold as well as the transformation of iron into gold is technologically impossible and will remain so for a very, very, very long time.

What scientists actually do in those accelerators (e.g. at Stanford) when they refer to "conditions similar to the big-bang" is that they destroy two particles, originally an electron and a positron by accelerating them and have them collide and annihilate each other. The resulting "energy-plasma" is considered to be similar to that shortly after the big-bang...

Is he correct? Thanks.

 

[NEOclassic]

Hg-196 + neutron > Au-197
Alchemists of old just needed a simple neutron. Cheers, Jim

 

[Cyclotron Boy]

Glen Seaborg transmuted Lead into Gold in 1980. The purpose of particle accelerators is not nucleogenesis, but rather examining the internal structure of smaller things, like individual protons, neutrons, quarks, and the like.

 

[ZapperZ]

A similar discussion on the possible use of accelerators to generate fusion and why this is unrealistic can be found in the Nucl. Engineering forum

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=90734

Zz.

 

[TOKAMAK]

Hg-196 + neutron > Au-197
Alchemists of old just needed a simple neutron. Cheers, Jim

Huh, nifty. I wonder what the cross section for neutron capture of Hg 196 would be?

 

[Raynor]

Thanks a lot guys! You have been very helpfull.