Behavior of the 222Rn daughters on copper surfaces during cleaning

Journal Article · Wed Mar 28 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2722068· OSTI ID:21055028

Wojcik, Marcin ^[1]; Zuzel, Grzegorz ^[2]

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1. Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Cracow (Poland)
2. Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Saupfercheckweg 1, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

Removal of the long-living 222Rn daughters (210Pb, 210Bi and 210Po) from the copper surface has been investigated. Different methods, like chemical etching and electropolishing, were applied to discs exposed earlier to a strong radon source. A long exposure assured effective accumulation of the 222Rn progenies on the copper surface. Cleaning efficiency for 210Pb was tested using a HPGe spectrometer, for 210Bi a beta spectrometer and for 210Po an alpha spectrometer were used. According to the conducted measurements electropolishing removes very effectively all the isotopes, while etching works only for lead and bismuth, for polonium the cleaning effect is practically negligible. Most probable 210Po is re-deposited on the treated surface.

• OSTI ID: 21055028
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 897; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ALPHA SPECTROMETERS
BETA SPECTROMETERS
BISMUTH 210
COPPER
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROPOLISHING
ETCHING
GE SEMICONDUCTOR DETECTORS
LEAD 210
POLONIUM 210
RADON 222
REMOVAL
SURFACE CLEANING
SURFACES