Request Now: Americium-241 Request Form Now Open for the 2026 Supply Term
In alignment with the strategic vision to help secure domestic isotope supply, the Office of Isotope R&D and Production (IRP) aims to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the community's needs for Americium-241 (Am-241). This ensures responsible and prioritized distribution among domestic users, as well as identifying potential needs for scale-up of operations or new public private partnerships, particularly given the rising demand for this critical isotope in applications such as radioisotope power sources.
In support of this objective, the IRP is now accepting requests for Am-241 for the upcoming supply term of May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. The information collected will be crucial for the IRP to thoroughly evaluate requests, accurately forecast supply and demand, and prioritize allocations based on programmatic mission, end use, and available supply, while also considering factors such as the confidence level of the need and its overall priority for your operations.
The deadline for application is March 13, 2026.
Interested research and industry customers are invited to submit a request using the online form. Please note that submitting a request signifies a firm interest in acquiring Am-241. We encourage all interested research and industry customers to submit a detailed request using the online form.
| Click Here to Request Americium-241 |
About Americium-241
Americium-241 (Am-241) is a radioisotope that primarily emits alpha particles along with low-energy gamma rays, giving it properties well suited for a range of industrial and scientific applications. It is most widely known for its use in ionization smoke detectors. Am-241 can also be incorporated into sealed sources or combined with beryllium to produce Am-Be neutron sources, which are routinely used for detector calibration, neutron activation analysis, and subsurface well logging.
In addition, Am-241 is being investigated as a heat source for radioisotope power systems (RPS), particularly for long-duration space missions requiring extended operational lifetimes. As a long-lived alpha emitter with a half-life of approximately 432 years, Am-241 is an attractive option for missions requiring reliable power over multiple decades or even centuries, including deep-space probes, lunar surface infrastructure, and long-term planetary science stations.
The Office of Isotope R&D and Production supports the availability of Am-241 to meet these critical needs.
