Naturally occurring nickel (Ni) consists of five stable isotopes; Ni, Ni, Ni, Ni and Ni; Ni is the most abundant at over 68%. 26 radioisotopes have been characterized; the most stable are Ni with a half-life of 81,000 years, Ni with a half-life of 101 years, and Ni at 6.075 days. All the other radioactive isotopes have half-lives of less than 60 hours and most of these have half-lives of less than 30 seconds. This element also has 11 known meta states.
List of isotopes
|-id=Nickel-48 |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 |rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 20 |rowspan=2| 48.01952(46)# |rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 2000 |rowspan=2| |2p (70%) | |rowspan=2| 0+ |rowspan=2| |rowspan=2| |- |β+, p (30%) | |-id=Nickel-49 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 21 | 49.00916(64)# | style="text-align:center" | 1996 | |β+, p | | 7/2−#
|-id=Nickel-50 |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 |rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 22 |rowspan=3| 49.99629(54)# |rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1994 |rowspan=3| | β+, p (73%) | |rowspan=3| 0+ |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3| |- |β+, 2p (14%)
|β+ (13%) | |-id=Nickel-51 |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 |rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 23 |rowspan=3| 50.98749(54)# |rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1987 |rowspan=3| | β+, p (87.2%) | |rowspan=3| 7/2−# |rowspan=3| |rowspan=3| |- |β+ (12.3%)
|β+, 2p (0.5%) | |-id=Nickel-52 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 24 | rowspan=2|51.975781(89) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1987 | rowspan=2| | β+ (68.9%) | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p (31.1%) | |-id=Nickel-53 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 25 | rowspan=2|52.968190(27) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1976 | rowspan=2| | β+ (77.3%) | | rowspan=2|(7/2−) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p (22.7%) | |-id=Nickel-54 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 26 | rowspan=2|53.9578330(50) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1977 | rowspan=2| | β+ | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+, p? | |-id=Nickel-54m | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 2008 | rowspan=2| | IT (64%) | | rowspan=2|10+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | p (36%) | |-id=Nickel-55 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 27 | 54.95132985(76) | style="text-align:center" | 1972 | | β+ | | 7/2−
|-id=Nickel-56 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2|55.94212776(43) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1952 | rowspan=2| | EC | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β+ (<%) | |-id=Nickel-57 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 29 | 56.93979139(61) | style="text-align:center" | 1938 | | β+ | | 3/2−
|-id=Nickel-58 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 30 | 57.93534165(37) | style="text-align:center" | 1921 | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value=999999999999999999999999999999999999999|Observationally stableBelieved to decay by β+β+ to with a half-life over 7×1020 years | 0+ | 0.680769(190) | |-id=Nickel-59 | rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 31 | rowspan=2 | 58.93434544(38) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1951 | rowspan=2 | | EC (99%) | rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 | 3/2− | rowspan=2 | | rowspan=2 | |- | β+ (1.5%) |-id=Nickel-60 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 32 | 59.93078513(38) | style="text-align:center" | 1921 | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value=999999999999999999999999999999999999999|Stable | 0+ | 0.262231(150) | |-id=Nickel-61 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 33 | 60.93105482(38) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value=999999999999999999999999999999999999999|Stable | 3/2− | 0.011399(13) | |-id=Nickel-62 | Highest binding energy per nucleon of all nuclides | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 34 | 61.92834475(46) | style="text-align:center" | 1934 | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value=999999999999999999999999999999999999999|Stable | 0+ | 0.036345(40) | |-id=Nickel-63 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 35 | 62.92966902(46) | style="text-align:center" | 1951 | | β− | | 1/2−
|-id=Nickel-63m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1970 | | IT | 63Ni | 5/2−
|-id=Nickel-64 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 36 | 63.92796623(50) | style="text-align:center" | 1935 | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value=999999999999999999999999999999999999999|Stable | 0+ | 0.009256(19) | |-id=Nickel-65 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 37 | 64.93008459(52) | style="text-align:center" | 1946 | | β− | | 5/2−
|-id=Nickel-65m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1978 | | IT | 65Ni | 1/2−
|-id=Nickel-66 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 38 | 65.9291393(15) | style="text-align:center" | 1948 | | β− | | 0+
|-id=Nickel-67 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 39 | 66.9315694(31) | style="text-align:center" | 1978 | | β− | | 1/2−
|-id=Nickel-67m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1994 | | IT | | 9/2+
|-id=Nickel-68 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 40 | 67.9318688(32) | style="text-align:center" | 1977 | | β− | | 0+
|-id=Nickel-68m1 | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1984 | | IT | 68Ni | 0+
|-id=Nickel-68m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1995 | | IT | 68Ni | 5−
|-id=Nickel-69 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 41 | 68.9356103(40) | style="text-align:center" | 1984 | | β− | | (9/2+)
|-id=Nickel-69m1 | rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" | | rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1999 | rowspan=2| | β− | | rowspan=2|(1/2−) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | IT (<0.01%) | |-id=Nickel-69m2 | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1998 | | IT | 69Ni | (17/2−)
|-id=Nickel-70 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 42 | 69.9364313(23) | style="text-align:center" | 1987 | | β− | | 0+
|-id=Nickel-70m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 1998 | | IT | 70Ni | 8+
|-id=Nickel-71 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 43 | 70.9405190(24) | style="text-align:center" | 1987 | | β− | | (9/2+)
|-id=Nickel-71m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 2009 | | β− | 71Cu | (1/2−)
|-id=Nickel-72 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 44 | rowspan=2|71.9417859(24) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1987 | rowspan=2| | β− | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β−, n? | |-id=Nickel-73 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 45 | rowspan=2|72.9462067(26) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1987 | rowspan=2| | β− | | rowspan=2|(9/2+) | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β−, n? | |-id=Nickel-74 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 46 | rowspan=2|73.9479853(38) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1987 | rowspan=2| | β− | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β−, n? | |-id=Nickel-75 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 47 | rowspan=2|74.952704(16) | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1992 | rowspan=2| | β− (90.0%) | | rowspan=2|9/2+# | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β−, n (10.0%) | |-id=Nickel-76 | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" | 48 | rowspan=2|75.95471(32)# | rowspan=2 style="text-align:center" | 1995 | rowspan=2| | β− (86.0%) | | rowspan=2|0+ | rowspan=2| | rowspan=2| |- | β−, n (14.0%) | |-id=Nickel-76m | style="text-indent:1em" | | colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" | | style="text-align:center" | 2005 | | IT | 76Ni | (8+)
|-id=Nickel-77 | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 49 | rowspan=3|76.95990(43)# | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1995 | rowspan=3| | β− (74%) | | rowspan=3|9/2+# | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β−, n (26%)
| β−, 2n? | |-id=Nickel-78 | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 50 | rowspan=3|77.96256(43)# | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 1995 | rowspan=3| | β− | | rowspan=3|0+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β−, n?
| β−, 2n? | |-id=Nickel-79 | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 51 | rowspan=3|78.96977(54)# | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 2010 | rowspan=3| | β− | | rowspan=3|5/2+# | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β−, n?
| β−, 2n? | |-id=Nickel-80 | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 28 | rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" | 52 | rowspan=3|79.97505(64)# | rowspan=3 style="text-align:center" | 2014 | rowspan=3| | β− | | rowspan=3|0+ | rowspan=3| | rowspan=3| |- | β−, n?
| β−, 2n? | |-id=Nickel-81 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 53 | 80.98273(75)# | style="text-align:center" | 2017 | [>410 ns] | β−? | | 3/2+#
|-id=Nickel-82 | | style="text-align:right" | 28 | style="text-align:right" | 54 | 81.98849(86)# | style="text-align:center" | 2017 | [>410 ns] | β−? | | 0+
Notable isotopes
The known isotopes of nickel range in mass number from Ni to Ni, and include:
Nickel-48, discovered in 1999, is the most neutron-poor nickel isotope known. With 28 protons and 20 neutrons Ni is "doubly magic" (like ) and therefore much more stable, with a half-life around 3 milliseconds, than would be expected from its position in the chart of nuclides. It has the highest ratio of protons to neutrons (proton excess) of any known doubly magic nuclide.
Nickel-56, also doubly magic, is produced in large quantities in supernovae. In the last phases of stellar evolution of very large stars, fusion of lighter elements like hydrogen and helium comes to an end. Later in the star's life cycle, elements including magnesium, silicon, and sulfur are fused to form heavier elements. Once the last nuclear fusion reactions cease, the star collapses to produce a supernova. During the supernova, silicon burning produces Ni. This isotope of nickel is favored because it has an equal number of neutrons and protons, making it readily produced by fusing two Si atoms. Ni is the last element that can be formed in the alpha process. Past Ni, nuclear reactions are endoergic and energetically unfavorable. Ni decays to Co and then Fe by β+ decay. The radioactive decay of Ni and Co supplies much of the energy for the light curves observed for stellar supernovae. The shape of the light curve of these supernovae display characteristic timescales corresponding to the decay of Ni to Co and then to Fe.