Deuterium

Deuterium (or heavy hydrogen) is an isotope of hydrogen which contains one proton and one neutron in its nucleus (or deuteron), and one electron orbiting the nucleus. Naturally-occurring hydrogen consists of less than 1% of this isotope.

Deuterium, along with its antimatter opposite, antideuterium, is the primary fuel used in matter-antimatter reactions, such as those generated in warp cores, and is stored in large tanks aboard starships for this purpose.

The Bussard collectors on some Federation starships can be used to collect hydrogen and interstellar gasses, including deuterium.

Data

• Density: 0.180 kg/m³ at STP (0 °C, 101.325 kPa).
• Atomic weight: 2.01355321270.
• Mean abundance in ocean water (see VSMOW) about 0.0156 % of H atoms = 1/6400 H atoms.

Data at approximately 18 K for D2 (triple point):

• Density:
  • Liquid: 162.4 kg/m3
  • Gas: 0.452 kg/m3
• Viscosity: 12.6 µPa·s at 300 Kelvin (gas phase)
• Specific heat capacity at constant pressure cp:
  • Solid: 2950 J/(kg·K)
  • Gas: 5200 J/(kg·K)