Studies on the optimal electrodeposition of actinium in alcohol-based electrolytes

Abstract

To determine the optimal electrodeposition conditions for actinium in a nitric acid/ethanol electrolyte, the 228Ac nuclide was used for electrodeposition experiments in a nitric acid/ethanol electrolyte in this study. First, under a current of 0.1 A, the effect of the electrodeposition time on the electrodeposition of actinium was studied. Subsequently, under different currents, the effect of the direct current on the electrodeposition of actinium was studied (T=35 min). The effect of different acid concentrations on the electrodeposition of actinium was then studied (I=0.15 A, T=35 min). The influence of different alcohol-water ratios on actinium electrodeposition was also studied. The results showed that the electrodeposition yield of 228Ac could reach more than 90% under the following electrodeposition conditions: nitric acid/ethanol as the electrolyte, an electrodeposition time of 35 min, a current of 0.15 A, a nitric acid concentration of 0.05 mol/L, an ethanol-water ratio of 90%, and an electrolyte volume of 15 mL. The optimized electrodeposition conditions for actinium can be applied to environmental samples to prepare an actinium alpha source.

Keywords

• electrodeposition
• alcohol-based electrolyte
• 228ac
• 227ac