Mass distributions of the system 136Xe + 208Pb at lab energies around the Coulomb barrier: a candidate reactions for production neutron-rich nuclei at N=126

Reaction products from the system 136Xe+208Pb at 136Xe ions laboratory energies of 700, 870, and 1020 MeV were studied by two-body kinematics and by a catcher-foil activity analysis to explore the theoretically proposed suitability of such reaction as a means to produce neutron-rich nuclei in the neutron shell closure N=126. Cross sections for products heavier than 208Pb were measured and were found sensibly larger than new theoretical predictions. Transfers of up to 16 nucleons from Xe to Pb were observed. peerReviewed