IONIUM (THORIUM-230) FOR RADIOISOTOPE PREPARATION--STATUS REPORT

Technical Report · Tue Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4093076· OSTI ID:4093076

Coppinger, E A; Rohrmann, C A

The general prospects of several radioisotopes are reviewed; the special properties of U/sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/ are poi nted out; and ionium (Th/sup 230/ ) and protactinium target materials are discussed from the sthndpoint of availability and chemical separations processes required for the preparation of U/ sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/. Outlines are given for potential schem es for the separation of U/sup 232/ and Th/sup 228/ from uranium milling pr ocess waste streams and from the irradiation products of Th/sup 230/--Th/sup 232/ mixtures. The high heat generating rates of these potent alpha emitters make them especially suitable for primary consideration as heat sources for small thermoelectric generators. The exceptionally high alpha activity suggests their use in special neutron sources as Ra-Be sources, and they may have sufficiently high neutron generating rates to be in contention with some of the smaller research reactors and experimental neutron producers. (B.O.G.)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-15-010963
• OSTI ID: 4093076
• Report Number(s): HW-63239
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALPHA PARTICLES
BERYLLIUM
CHEMISTRY
GENERATORS
IONIUM
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
NEUTRON SOURCES
ORE PROCESSING
PARTICLE SOURCES
PREPARATION
PROTACTINIUM
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIUM
RESEARCH REACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TARGETS
THERMOELECTRICITY
THORIUM 228
THORIUM 230
URANIUM 232
URANIUM ORES
USES
WASTE SOLUTIONS