> In 1975, Kodak powered up the country’s first californium neutron flux multiplier (CFX) ... to provide Kodak R&D with an ample stream of neutrons for materials analysis. > If an X-ray shows you the crack in a pipe, neutrons will show you the leak.
I'm getting "Windows Subsystem for Linux" vibes from the project name. Shouldn't this be called a HEUFX with a Californium source?

richardatlarge

2 hours ago
Quote: "and though it takes roughly 100 pounds of it to build an atomic bomb...”

Are they stupid at PM or just selling misinformation?

This matches other sources on the internet: a bomb requires about 15kg of U-235 [0] with a good use of neutron reflectors, and HEU by definition contains 20%+ of U-235 [1]. We don't know exactly what the U-235 concentration was in the Kodak device, but reasonable values would make the claim "roughly" correct.

[0] https://www.britannica.com/technology/nuclear-weapon/Princip...

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enriched_uranium

jeffrallen

an hour ago
At least it wasn't "though it takes at least the equivalent of 12.5 bald eagles of it to build an atomic bomb"