Defining Processing Times for Accelerator Produced ²²⁵Ac and Other Isotopes from Proton Irradiated Thorium

Abstract

During the purification of radioisotopes, decay periods or time dependent purification steps may be required to achieve a certain level of radiopurity in the final product. Actinum-225 (Ac-225), Silver-111 (Ag-111), Astatine-211 (At-211), Ruthenium-105 (Ru-105), and Rhodium-105 (Rh-105) are produced in a high energy proton irradiated thorium target. Experimentally measured cross sections, along with MCNP6-generated cross sections, were used to determine the quantities of Ac-225, Ag-111, At-211, Ru-105, Rh-105, and other co-produced radioactive impurities produced in a proton irradiated thorium target at Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP). Ac-225 and Ag-111 can be produced with high radiopurity by the proton irradiation of a thorium target at BLIP.

Keywords

• Isotope production
• Actinium-225
• Silver-111
• MCNPX
• Thorium
• proton irradiation
• fission products
• Sr-82
• critical process parameter