As she neared the end of her doctorate in 1924, Irène Curie was asked to teach the precise laboratory techniques required for radiochemical research to the young chemical engineer Frédéric Joliot, whom she would later wed.
From 1928 Joliot-Curie and her husband Frédéric combined their research efforts on the study of atomic nuclei.
In 1932, Joliot-Curie and her husband Frédéric had full access to Marie's polonium.
Experiments were done with the use of gamma rays to identify the positron.
Though their experiments identified both the positron and the neutron, they failed to interpret the significance of the results and the discoveries were later claimed by Carl David Anderson and James Chadwick respectively.
These discoveries would have secured greatness indeed, as together with J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron in 1897, they finally replaced John Dalton's model of atoms as solid spherical particles.

However, in 1933, Joliot-Curie and her husband were the first to discover the accurate weight measurement of the neutron.
The Joliot-Curies continued trying to get their name into the scientific community, in doing so they developed a new theory from an interesting experiment they conducted.
During an experiment of using alpha rays against aluminum, they discovered only protons were detected.
Based on the undetectable electron and positron pair they proposed the protons changed into neutrons and positrons.
Later in October 1933, this new theory was taken to the Seventh Solvay Conference.
The Solvay Conference consisted of prominent scientists in the physics and chemistry community.
Irene and her husband presented their theory and results to the fellow scientists, but they received criticism from their finding from most of the 46 scientists attending.
However they were able to build on the controversial theory later on.

In 1934, the Joliot-Curies finally made the discovery that sealed their place in scientific history.
Building on the work of Marie and Pierre Curie, who had isolated naturally occurring radioactive elements, the Joliot-Curies realised the alchemist's dream of turning one element into another: creating radioactive nitrogen from boron, radioactive isotopes of phosphorus from aluminium, and silicon from magnesium.
Irradiating the natural stable isotope of aluminium with alpha particles (i.e. helium nuclei) results in an unstable isotope of phosphorus: ²⁷Al + ⁴He → ³⁰P + ¹n.
This first discovery is formally known as positron emission or beta decay, where a proton in the radioactive nucleus changes to a neutron and releases a positron and an electron neutrino.
By then, the application of radioactive materials for use in medicine was growing and this discovery allowed radioactive materials to be created quickly, cheaply, and plentifully.
The Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935 brought with it fame and recognition from the scientific community and Joliot-Curie was awarded a professorship at the Faculty of Science.

Irène's group pioneered research into radium nuclei that led a separate group of German physicists, led by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassman, to discover nuclear fission: the splitting of the nucleus itself, emitting vast amounts of energy.
Lise Meitner's now-famous calculations actually disproved Irène's results to show that nuclear fission was possible.

In 1948, using the works of nuclear fission, the Joliot-Curies along with other scientists created the first French nuclear reactor.
The Joliot-Curies were a part of the organization in charge of the project, Atomic Energy Commission, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA).
Irène was the commissioner of the CEA and Irène's husband, Frédéric, was the director of the CEA.
The reactor, Zoé (Zéro énergie Oxyde et Eau lourde) used nuclear fission to generate five kilowatts of energy.
This was just the beginning of nuclear energy as a power source for France.
Because of the work of the Joliot-Curies, France now generates approximately 80% of its electricity from nuclear energy.
Also France exports additional energy to other European countries.

Ye
As she neared the end of her doctorate in 1924, Irène Curie was asked to teach the precise laboratory techniques required for radiochemical research to the young chemical engineer Frédéric Joliot, whom she would later wed. From 1928 Joliot-Curie and her husband Frédéric combined their research efforts on the study of atomic nuclei. In 1932, Joliot-Curie and her husband Frédéric had full access to Marie's polonium. Experiments were done with the use of gamma rays to identify the positron. Though their experiments identified both the positron and the neutron, they failed to interpret the significance of the results and the discoveries were later claimed by Carl David Anderson and James Chadwick respectively. These discoveries would have secured greatness indeed, as together with J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron in 1897, they finally replaced John Dalton's model of atoms as solid spherical particles.
However, in 1933, Joliot-Curie and her husband were the first to discover the accurate weight measurement of the neutron. The Joliot-Curies continued trying to get their name into the scientific community, in doing so they developed a new theory from an interesting experiment they conducted. During an experiment of using alpha rays against aluminum, they discovered only protons were detected. Based on the undetectable electron and positron pair they proposed the protons changed into neutrons and positrons. Later in October 1933, this new theory was taken to the Seventh Solvay Conference. The Solvay Conference consisted of prominent scientists in the physics and chemistry community. Irene and her husband presented their theory and results to the fellow scientists, but they received criticism from their finding from most of the 46 scientists attending. However they were able to build on the controversial theory later on.
In 1934, the Joliot-Curies finally made the discovery that sealed their place in scientific history. Building on the work of Marie and Pierre Curie, who had isolated naturally occurring radioactive elements, the Joliot-Curies realised the alchemist's dream of turning one element into another: creating radioactive nitrogen from boron, radioactive isotopes of phosphorus from aluminium, and silicon from magnesium. Irradiating the natural stable isotope of aluminium with alpha particles (i.e. helium nuclei) results in an unstable isotope of phosphorus: ²⁷Al + ⁴He → ³⁰P + ¹n. This first discovery is formally known as positron emission or beta decay, where a proton in the radioactive nucleus changes to a neutron and releases a positron and an electron neutrino. By then, the application of radioactive materials for use in medicine was growing and this discovery allowed radioactive materials to be created quickly, cheaply, and plentifully. The Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935 brought with it fame and recognition from the scientific community and Joliot-Curie was awarded a professorship at the Faculty of Science.
Irène's group pioneered research into radium nuclei that led a separate group of German physicists, led by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, and Fritz Strassman, to discover nuclear fission: the splitting of the nucleus itself, emitting vast amounts of energy. Lise Meitner's now-famous calculations actually disproved Irène's results to show that nuclear fission was possible.
In 1948, using the works of nuclear fission, the Joliot-Curies along with other scientists created the first French nuclear reactor. The Joliot-Curies were a part of the organization in charge of the project, Atomic Energy Commission, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA). Irène was the commissioner of the CEA and Irène's husband, Frédéric, was the director of the CEA. The reactor, Zoé (Zéro énergie Oxyde et Eau lourde) used nuclear fission to generate five kilowatts of energy. This was just the beginning of nuclear energy as a power source for France. Because of the work of the Joliot-Curies, France now generates approximately 80% of its electricity from nuclear energy. Also France exports additional energy to other European countries.
Ye
Irène Joliot-Curie