B Reactor History Room: Synthesis of Plutonium

The Synthesis of Plutonium exhibit panel in the History Room.

See exhibit panel for specific image credits.

Main Text
Text at the top left reads: “Glenn Seaborg adjusts a Geiger-Muller counter during an experiment to synthesize plutonium.”

At the bottom right, text continues: “Synthesis of Plutonium - Edwin McMillan theorized the existence of element 94 (plutonium) resulting from the transmutation of uranium atoms. With Glenn Seaborg, McMillan led a team of scientists that synthesized the element for the first time in a laboratory at the University of California in 1941 by using a cyclotron to irradiate uranium. This experiment demonstrated the feasibility of creating plutonium on a large scale by means of a nuclear reactor. Seaborg subsequently developed the chemical separation processes used at Hanford for separating plutonium from irradiated uranium.”

Exhibit Panel Description
A 1941 black-and-white photograph shows a man with short-cropped dark, wavy hair, bushy eyebrows on his strong brow in a long-sleeved white shirt and tie leaning over a piece of electronic equipment.

Visit This Exhibit Panel
In-person visitation of the B Reactor is only authorized on guided tours offered by the Department of Energy.