Proposed production of a large (approx. 40. mu. g) sample of /sup 254/Es

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5813519

Bigelow, J E; Alexander, C W; King, L J

A recent workshop sponsored by the National Research Council has made it clear that the key to further substantial progress in heavy element research is the expanded use of 276-day /sup 254/Es as target material. Einsteinium-254 has the greatest mass and charge of any nuclide that can be produced in the required multimicrogram quantities in the foreseeable future. Four major laboratories (Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)) active in transplutonium research have collaborated to propose a major new thrust in transplutonium research that will require an order of magnitude more /sup 254/Es than is normally available. This project, called LEAP (an acronym for Large Einsteinium Activation Program) has goals of determining the inorganic chemistry and nuclear chemistry and physics of the transeinsteinium elements through atomic number 109, plus a search for superheavy elements. LEAP is based on using approx.40-..mu..g of /sup 254/Es as a target for heavy-ion accelerators. The Tranuranium Processing Plant (TRU) of the Chemical Technology Division of ORNL has been given the task of determining the feasibility of producing a 40 ..mu..g sample of /sup 254/Es and, if later requested, of actually producing the sample. This task, which has been under way for several years, is directed toward three areas of investigation: (1) experimental determination of the neutron cross sections of certain transplutonium isotopes important to the production of /sup 254/Es; (2) selection of a /sup 254/Es production scheme; and (3) development of the necessary hardware, followed by an actual test irradiation. 12 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5813519
• Report Number(s): CONF-850836-11; ON: DE86008969
• Resource Relation: Conference: American Institute of Chemical Engineers national meeting, Seattle, WA, USA, 25 Aug 1985; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
EINSTEINIUM 254
CROSS SECTIONS
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
EINSTEINIUM 254 TARGET
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
HEAVY ION ACCELERATORS
NEUTRON FLUX
THERMAL NEUTRONS
ACCELERATORS
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BARYONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EINSTEINIUM ISOTOPES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOISOTOPES
SYNTHESIS
TARGETS
400703* - Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry- Radioisotope Production