# Isotopes of zinc

Naturally occurring zinc ($_{30}$Zn) is composed of the 5 stable isotopes $^{64}$Zn, $^{66}$Zn, $^{67}$Zn, $^{68}$Zn, and $^{70}$Zn with $^{64}$Zn being the most abundant (48.6% natural abundance). Twenty-eight radioisotopes have been characterised with the most stable being $^{65}$Zn with a half-life of 244.26 days, and then $^{72}$Zn with a half-life of 46.5 hours. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 14 hours and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1 second. This element also has 10 meta states.
Zinc has been proposed as a "salting" material for nuclear weapons. A jacket of isotopically enriched $^{64}$Zn, irradiated by the intense high-energy neutron flux from an exploding thermonuclear weapon, would transmute into the radioactive isotope $^{65}$Zn with a half-life of 244 days and produce approximately 1.115 MeV of gamma radiation, significantly increasing the radioactivity of the weapon's fallout for several years. Such a weapon is not known to have ever been built, tested, or used.

## List of isotopes

| Nuclide | Z | N | Isotopic mass (Da) | Half-life | Decay mode | Daughter isotope | Spin and parity | Natural abundance (mole fraction) | Natural abundance (mole fraction) |
| Nuclide | Excitation energy | Excitation energy | Excitation energy | Half-life | Decay mode | Daughter isotope | Spin and parity | Normal proportion | Range of variation |
| $^{54}$Zn | 30 | 24 | 53.99388(23)# | 1.8(5) ms | 2p | $^{52}$Ni | 0+ | | |
| $^{55}$Zn | 30 | 25 | 54.98468(43)# | 19.8(13) ms | β$^+$, p (91.0%) | $^{54}$Ni | 5/2−# | | |
| $^{55}$Zn | 30 | 25 | 54.98468(43)# | 19.8(13) ms | β$^+$ (9.0%) | $^{55}$Cu | 5/2−# | | |
| $^{56}$Zn | 30 | 26 | 55.97274(43)# | 32.4(7) ms | β$^+$, p (88.0%) | $^{55}$Ni | 0+ | | |
| $^{56}$Zn | 30 | 26 | 55.97274(43)# | 32.4(7) ms | β$^+$ (12.0%) | $^{56}$Cu | 0+ | | |
| $^{57}$Zn | 30 | 27 | 56.96506(22)# | 45.7(6) ms | β$^+$, p (87%) | $^{56}$Ni | 7/2−# | | |
| $^{57}$Zn | 30 | 27 | 56.96506(22)# | 45.7(6) ms | β$^+$ (13%) | $^{57}$Cu | 7/2−# | | |
| $^{58}$Zn | 30 | 28 | 57.954590(54) | 86.0(19) ms | β$^+$ (99.3%) | $^{58}$Cu | 0+ | | |
| $^{58}$Zn | 30 | 28 | 57.954590(54) | 86.0(19) ms | β$^+$, p (0.7%) | $^{57}$Ni | 0+ | | |
| $^{59}$Zn | 30 | 29 | 58.94931189(81) | 178.7(13) ms | β$^+$ (99.90%) | $^{59}$Cu | 3/2− | | |
| $^{59}$Zn | 30 | 29 | 58.94931189(81) | 178.7(13) ms | β$^+$, p (0.10%) | $^{58}$Ni | 3/2− | | |
| $^{60}$Zn | 30 | 30 | 59.94184132(59) | 2.38(5) min | β$^+$ | $^{60}$Cu | 0+ | | |
| $^{61}$Zn | 30 | 31 | 60.939507(17) | 89.1(2) s | β$^+$ | $^{61}$Cu | 3/2− | | |
| $^{62}$Zn | 30 | 32 | 61.93433336(66) | 9.193(15) h | β$^+$ | $^{62}$Cu | 0+ | | |
| $^{63}$Zn | 30 | 33 | 62.9332111(17) | 38.47(5) min | β$^+$ | $^{63}$Cu | 3/2− | | |
| $^{64}$Zn | 30 | 34 | 63.92914178(69) | Observationally Stable | Observationally Stable | Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.4917(75) | |
| $^{65}$Zn | 30 | 35 | 64.92924053(69) | 243.94(4) d | EC (98.579(7)%) | $^{65}$Cu | 5/2− | | |
| $^{65}$Zn | 30 | 35 | 64.92924053(69) | 243.94(4) d | β$^+$ (1.421(7)%) | $^{65}$Cu | 5/2− | | |
| $^{65m}$Zn | 53.928(10) keV | 53.928(10) keV | 53.928(10) keV | 1.6(6) μs | IT | $^{65}$Zn | 1/2− | | |
| $^{66}$Zn | 30 | 36 | 65.92603364(80) | Stable | Stable | Stable | 0+ | 0.2773(98) | |
| $^{67}$Zn | 30 | 37 | 66.92712742(81) | Stable | Stable | Stable | 5/2− | 0.0404(16) | |
| $^{67m1}$Zn | 93.312(5) keV | 93.312(5) keV | 93.312(5) keV | 9.15(7) μs | IT | $^{67}$Zn | 1/2− | | |
| $^{67m2}$Zn | 604.48(5) keV | 604.48(5) keV | 604.48(5) keV | 333(14) ns | IT | $^{67}$Zn | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{68}$Zn | 30 | 38 | 67.92484423(84) | Stable | Stable | Stable | 0+ | 0.1845(63) | |
| $^{69}$Zn | 30 | 39 | 68.92655036(85) | 56.4(9) min | β$^−$ | $^{69}$Ga | 1/2− | | |
| $^{69m}$Zn | 438.636(18) keV | 438.636(18) keV | 438.636(18) keV | 13.747(11) h | IT (99.97%) | $^{69}$Zn | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{69m}$Zn | 438.636(18) keV | 438.636(18) keV | 438.636(18) keV | 13.747(11) h | β$^−$ (0.033%) | $^{69}$Ga | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{70}$Zn | 30 | 40 | 69.9253192(21) | Observationally Stable | Observationally Stable | Observationally Stable | 0+ | 0.0061(10) | |
| $^{71}$Zn | 30 | 41 | 70.9277196(28) | 2.40(5) min | β$^−$ | $^{71}$Ga | 1/2− | | |
| $^{71m}$Zn | 157.7(13) keV | 157.7(13) keV | 157.7(13) keV | 4.148(12) h | β$^−$ | $^{71}$Ga | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{71m}$Zn | 157.7(13) keV | 157.7(13) keV | 157.7(13) keV | 4.148(12) h | IT? | $^{71}$Zn | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{72}$Zn | 30 | 42 | 71.9268428(23) | 46.5(1) h | β$^−$ | $^{72}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{73}$Zn | 30 | 43 | 72.9295826(20) | 24.5(2) s | β$^−$ | $^{73}$Ga | 1/2− | | |
| $^{73m}$Zn | 195.5(2) keV | 195.5(2) keV | 195.5(2) keV | 13.0(2) ms | IT | $^{73}$Zn | 5/2+ | | |
| $^{74}$Zn | 30 | 44 | 73.9294073(27) | 95.6(12) s | β$^−$ | $^{74}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{75}$Zn | 30 | 45 | 74.9328402(21) | 10.2(2) s | β$^−$ | $^{75}$Ga | 7/2+ | | |
| $^{75m}$Zn | 126.94(9) keV | 126.94(9) keV | 126.94(9) keV | 5# s | β$^−$? | $^{75}$Ga | 1/2− | | |
| $^{75m}$Zn | 126.94(9) keV | 126.94(9) keV | 126.94(9) keV | 5# s | IT? | $^{75}$Zn | 1/2− | | |
| $^{76}$Zn | 30 | 46 | 75.9331150(16) | 5.7(3) s | β$^−$ | $^{76}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{77}$Zn | 30 | 47 | 76.9368872(21) | 2.08(5) s | β$^−$ | $^{77}$Ga | 7/2+ | | |
| $^{77m}$Zn | 772.440(15) keV | 772.440(15) keV | 772.440(15) keV | 1.05(10) s | β$^−$ (66%) | $^{77}$Ga | 1/2− | | |
| $^{77m}$Zn | 772.440(15) keV | 772.440(15) keV | 772.440(15) keV | 1.05(10) s | IT (34%) | $^{77}$Zn | 1/2− | | |
| $^{78}$Zn | 30 | 48 | 77.9382892(21) | 1.47(15) s | β$^−$ | $^{78}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{78}$Zn | 30 | 48 | 77.9382892(21) | 1.47(15) s | β$^−$, n? | $^{77}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{78m}$Zn | 2673.7(6) keV | 2673.7(6) keV | 2673.7(6) keV | 320(6) ns | IT | $^{78}$Zn | (8+) | | |
| $^{79}$Zn | 30 | 49 | 78.9426381(24) | 746(42) ms | β$^−$ (98.3%) | $^{79}$Ga | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{79}$Zn | 30 | 49 | 78.9426381(24) | 746(42) ms | β$^−$, n (1.7%) | $^{78}$Ga | 9/2+ | | |
| $^{79m}$Zn | 942(10) keV | 942(10) keV | 942(10) keV | >200 ms | β$^−$? | $^{79}$Ga | 1/2+ | | |
| $^{79m}$Zn | 942(10) keV | 942(10) keV | 942(10) keV | >200 ms | IT? | $^{79}$Zn | 1/2+ | | |
| $^{80}$Zn | 30 | 50 | 79.9445529(28) | 562.2(30) ms | β$^−$ (98.64%) | $^{80}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{80}$Zn | 30 | 50 | 79.9445529(28) | 562.2(30) ms | β$^−$, n (1.36%) | $^{79}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{81}$Zn | 30 | 51 | 80.9504026(54) | 299.4(21) ms | β$^−$ (77%) | $^{81}$Ga | (1/2+, 5/2+) | | |
| $^{81}$Zn | 30 | 51 | 80.9504026(54) | 299.4(21) ms | β$^−$, n (23%) | $^{80}$Ga | (1/2+, 5/2+) | | |
| $^{81}$Zn | 30 | 51 | 80.9504026(54) | 299.4(21) ms | β$^−$, 2n? | $^{79}$Ga | (1/2+, 5/2+) | | |
| $^{82}$Zn | 30 | 52 | 81.9545741(33) | 177.9(25) ms | β$^−$, n (69%) | $^{81}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{82}$Zn | 30 | 52 | 81.9545741(33) | 177.9(25) ms | β$^−$ (31%) | $^{82}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{82}$Zn | 30 | 52 | 81.9545741(33) | 177.9(25) ms | β$^−$, 2n? | $^{80}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{83}$Zn | 30 | 53 | 82.96104(32)# | 100(3) ms | β$^−$, n (71%) | $^{82}$Ga | 3/2+# | | |
| $^{83}$Zn | 30 | 53 | 82.96104(32)# | 100(3) ms | β$^−$ (29%) | $^{83}$Ga | 3/2+# | | |
| $^{83}$Zn | 30 | 53 | 82.96104(32)# | 100(3) ms | β$^−$, 2n? | $^{81}$Ga | 3/2+# | | |
| $^{84}$Zn | 30 | 54 | 83.96583(43)# | 54(8) ms | β$^−$, n (73%) | $^{83}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{84}$Zn | 30 | 54 | 83.96583(43)# | 54(8) ms | β$^−$ (27%) | $^{84}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{84}$Zn | 30 | 54 | 83.96583(43)# | 54(8) ms | β$^−$, 2n? | $^{82}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{85}$Zn | 30 | 55 | 84.97305(54)# | 40# ms [>400 ns] | β$^−$? | $^{85}$Ga | 5/2+# | | |
| $^{85}$Zn | 30 | 55 | 84.97305(54)# | 40# ms [>400 ns] | β$^−$, n? | $^{84}$Ga | 5/2+# | | |
| $^{85}$Zn | 30 | 55 | 84.97305(54)# | 40# ms [>400 ns] | β$^−$, 2n? | $^{83}$Ga | 5/2+# | | |
| $^{86}$Zn | 30 | 56 | 85.97846(54)# | | β$^−$? | $^{86}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{86}$Zn | 30 | 56 | 85.97846(54)# | | β$^−$, n? | $^{85}$Ga | 0+ | | |
| $^{87}$Zn | 30 | 57 | | | | | | | |
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* ↑ $^m$Zn – Excited nuclear isomer.
* ↑ ( ) – Uncertainty (1σ) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.
* ↑ # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).
* 1 2 # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).
* ↑ Modes of decay: IT:Isomeric transition n:Neutron emission p:Proton emission
* ↑ Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.
* ↑ ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.
* ↑ Believed to undergo β$^+$β$^+$ decay to $^{64}$Ni with a half-life over 6.0×10$^{16}$ y
* ↑ Believed to undergo β$^−$β$^−$ decay to $^{70}$Ge with a half-life over 3.8×10$^{18}$ y