錒系元素的主要用途是核能發電及核武器，例如鈾和鈽等。不過也有部分錒系元素在日常生活中得到了應用，例如游離煙霧探測器中的鋂[20][21]和煤氣燈網罩（英语：Gas mantle）中的釷等[22]。至於原子序較大的重錒系元素由於製備的難度較高，且較不穩定，因此只用於學術研究，而沒有實際用途。
核能應用中最重要的同位素是铀-235，用於熱中子反應爐。天然铀里铀-235的占比僅為0.72%。它會强烈吸收热中子，然后放出大量能量。铀-235核子吸收中子后，会裂变成2个较轻的核子和2至3颗中子，如：
23592U + 10n ⟶ 11545Rh + 11847Ag + 310n
1克235U的一次裂变行为转换为大约1MW/天。重要的是,23592U发射的中子多于吸收的中子;[23] 达到临界质量时，23592U进入自动链锁反应。[13]
已隱藏部分未翻譯内容，歡迎參與翻譯。Other promising actinide isotopes for nuclear power are thorium-232 and its product from the thorium fuel cycle, uranium-233.
Nuclear reactor[13][24][25]
The core of most Generation II nuclear reactors contains a set of hollow metal rods, usually made of zirconium alloys, filled with solid nuclear fuel pellets – mostly oxide, carbide, nitride or monosulfide of uranium, plutonium or thorium, or their mixture (the so-called MOX fuel). The most common fuel is oxide of uranium-235.
Nuclear reactor scheme
Fast neutrons are slowed by moderators, which contain water, carbon, deuterium, or beryllium, as thermal neutrons to increase the efficiency of their interaction with uranium-235. The rate of nuclear reaction is controlled by introducing additional rods made of boron or cadmium or a liquid absorbent, usually boric acid. Reactors for plutonium production are called breeder reactor or breeders; they have a different design and use fast neutrons.
Emission of neutrons during the fission of uranium is important not only for maintaining the nuclear chain reaction, but also for the synthesis of the heavier actinides. Uranium-239 converts via β-decay into plutonium-239, which, like uranium-235, is capable of spontaneous fission. The world's first nuclear reactors were built not for energy, but for producing plutonium-239 for nuclear weapons.
釷除了用作煤氣網罩的材料之外[22]，也常和鎂、鋁等金屬做成合金，因為鎂釷合金不但堅固，還具有高熔點及高延展性，因此被廣泛用於航空工業和導彈的生產中。釷還有著良好的電子發射性能，可用作電子器件中的高效電子發射極。此外釷的半衰期很長[23]，和鈾同位素的相對含量被廣泛用於估算包括恆星在內的各種物體的年齡（參見放射性定年法）。[26]
钚元素的主要用途是制造核武器，尤其是可以裂变的钚-239。它的临界质量是铀-235的1/3。[27]
已隱藏部分未翻譯内容，歡迎參與翻譯。 胖子原子彈(the fat guy)是鈽原子彈，以曼哈頓計劃中所生產的高濃度濃縮鈽為材料，以中子撞擊鈽原子啟動整個鏈式反應 Thus only 6.2 kg of plutonium was needed for an explosive yield equivalent to 20 kilotons of TNT.[28] (See also Nuclear weapon design.) Hypothetically, as little as 4 kg of plutonium—and maybe even less—could be used to make a single atomic bomb using very sophisticated assembly designs.[29]
Plutonium-238 is potentially more efficient isotope for nuclear reactors, since it has smaller critical mass than uranium-235, but it continues to release much thermal energy (0.56 W/g)[21][30] by decay even when the fission chain reaction is stopped by control rods. Its application is limited by the high price (about US$1000/g). This isotope has been used in thermopiles and water distillation systems of some space satellites and stations. So Galileo and Apollo spacecraft (e.g. Apollo 14[31]) had heaters powered by kilogram quantities of plutonium-238 oxide; this heat is also transformed into electricity with thermopiles. The decay of plutonium-238 produces relatively harmless alpha particles and is not accompanied by gamma-irradiation. Therefore, this isotope (~160 mg) is used as the energy source in heart pacemakers where it lasts about 5 times longer than conventional batteries.[21]
锕-227被用作中子源。 Its high specific energy (14.5 W/g) and the possibility of obtaining significant quantities of thermally stable compounds are attractive for use in long-lasting thermoelectric generators for remote use. 228Ac is used as an indicator of radioactivity in chemical research, as it emits high-energy electrons (2.18 MeV) that can be easily detected. 228Ac-228Ra mixtures are widely used as an intense gamma-source in industry and medicine.[16]
具有耐用晶体基质的自发光锕系元素掺杂材料的开发是锕系元素利用的一个新领域，因为向某些玻璃和晶体中添加α发射放射性核素可能会赋予发光性。[32]