Ionization -- Efficiently ionizing every electron off of atoms

[dsaun777]

Is there a radiation method for efficienctly ionizing every electron off of atoms to produce strictly protons and neutrons Without generating tremendous heat?

 

[mfb]

Just removing all electrons doesn't give you individual protons and neutrons. To split the nuclei as well you need even more energy.

Everything that removes all electrons will also make your sample very hot (if it is large enough to have a meaningful temperature).

 

[dsaun777]

Just removing all electrons doesn't give you individual protons and neutrons. To split the nuclei as well you need even more energy.

Everything that removes all electrons will also make your sample very hot (if it is large enough to have a meaningful temperature).

I want to keep the nuclei intact but push out the electrons to their highest energy level i...

 

[mathman]

The only way to remove the electrons or get them to higher levels is by adding energy, which simply means heating the atoms to a high enough temperature to form a plasma.

 

[mfb]

You don't have to heat them directly, but shooting lasers at them, bombarding them with electrons and so on will all make the sample hot as well.

@dsaun777: What do you actually want to do? What is the larger overall goal?