Measurement of 99Mo Yield in 100Mo(p, x) with 30 MeV Proton Irradiation of Multicomponent Submicron Particles

Resumo

The radionuclide ⁹⁹Mo was produced and separated in the process of irradiating powdered mixtures of molybdenum compounds and buffer particles by 30 MeV protons. The separation is based on the Szilard–Chalmers effect wherein ⁹⁹Mo recoil particles are fixed in inert buffer particles. Two types of targets were investigated by using mixtures: soluble molybdenum compound–insoluble buffer and insoluble molybdenum compound–soluble buffer. ⁹⁹Mo yield equal to 20% with enrichment coefficient 18.3 was obtained by using a target consisting of a mixture of submicron ¹⁰⁰MoO₃ and Al₂O₃ particles; the ⁹⁹Mo yield was equal to 20% and the enrichment coefficient 18.3. For a target with the composition ¹⁰⁰MoS₂ + KCl, making it possible to separate ⁹⁹Mo recoil atoms directly into solution, the ⁹⁹Mo yield was equal to 8.7% and the enrichment coefficient 30.7.