Palladium-clad /sup 252/Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/ cermet source wire process description

Technical Report · Mon Mar 19 04:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:6147651

Large californium sources are made by depositing Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in a capsule. Smaller sources for medical application are being made by electrolytic deposition of /sup 252/Cf(OH)/sub 3/ on small-diameter Pt-Ir wire, followed by calcination of the hydroxide to /sup 252/Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and encapsulation of the coated wire. Neither of these source types, once manufactured, can be subdivided and each presents a high contamination potential during manufacture. Rolled, square Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/ cermet wire was developed to make source subdivision practical, and reduce contamination potential, by dispersing the /sup 252/Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in a matrix of ductile Pd. (Only the oxide exposed on the surface can contribute to contamination.) The range of possible source sizes was increased and the contamination potential during manufacture and subsequent subdivision was further reduced by development of a process for swaging and drawing a palladium-clad /sup 252/Cf/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Pd cermet pellet. The drawing process makes possible the manufacture of clad wire as small as .008-inch OD which can be used in medical sources. The report documents the technical bases for manufacture of clad wire and describes detailed operating procedures for making medical source wire.

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-09-0001
• OSTI ID: 6147651
• Report Number(s): DPST-73-257
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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