cross section alpha stimulates neutron product?

Question

What stable metals, if any, are fairly good at absorbing alpha radiation from u238 and releasing a neutron in response?

Nice link in the first answer. I am looking for something that produces a neutron when struck by an alpha particle.

Answer 1

This is an alpha-n reaction.

Refer to this for what you need:

http://www.wise-uranium.org/ranch.html

Answer 2

Heavy charged particles have very small penetrating power in solid matter so anything can be used to stop it, even AL foil. See details at
http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/phys/stopping.htm