Purificaiton of Lanthanides for Large Neutrino Detectors: Thorium Removal from Gadolinium Chloride

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A - Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.02.124· OSTI ID:985824

Yeh, M; Cumming, J B; Hans, S; Hahn, R L

Metal-loaded liquid scintillators are the detectors of choice for various neutrino experiments. Procedures have been developed to transfer metals into organic liquids by solvent extraction or direct dissolution of a metallic compound. Traces of natural radioactivity introduced into the scintillator with the metal may produce undesirable backgrounds. Measurements using a {sup 229}Th tracer indicate that the inclusion of a pH-controlled partial hydrolysis and filtration prior to the preparation of a gadolinium-loading compound can reduce thorium by a factor of {approx}100. This 'self-scavenging' procedure has the advantage that it uses only reagents encountered in the production process. Addition of non-elemental scavengers such as iron, or the use of solvent extraction or ion exchange procedures can be avoided. It also improves the optical transmission in the blue region by removing traces of iron. This purification method has potential applications to the large-scale production of other metal-loaded liquid scintillators and for the removal of traces of thorium in the industrial production of lanthanides.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Doe - Office Of Science
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 985824
• Report Number(s): BNL-90703-2010-JA; R&D Project: CO-001; KB0401022; TRN: US1006230
• Journal Information: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A - Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 618, Issue 1-3; ISSN 0168-9002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
DISSOLUTION
FILTRATION
GADOLINIUM CHLORIDES
HYDROLYSIS
ION EXCHANGE
IRON
LIQUID SCINTILLATORS
NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY
NEUTRINOS
PHOSPHORS
PRODUCTION
PURIFICATION
RARE EARTHS
REMOVAL
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
THORIUM
gadolinium
metal-loaded liquid scintillator
neutrino oscillations
lanthanide purification
thorium