Production of platinum radioisotopes at Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP)

¹ Collider-Accelerator Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973, USA
² Idaho State University, Idaho Accelerator Center, Department of Physics, Nuclear & Electrical Engineering, Pocatello ID 83209, USA
³ National Nuclear Data Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973, USA
⁴ Physics Department, Millsaps College, Jackson MS 39202, USA
⁵ Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts, Lowell MA 01854, USA

^a e-mail: Suzanneoznq@gmail.com

Published online: 13 September 2017

Abstract

The accelerator production of platinum isotopes was investigated at the Brookhaven Linac Isotope Producer (BLIP). In this study high purity natural platinum foils were irradiated at 53.2, 65.7, 105.2, 151.9, 162.9 and 173.3.MeV. The irradiated foils were digested in aqua regia and then converted to their hydrochloride salt with concentrated hydrochloric acid before analyzing by gamma spectrometry periodically for at least 10 days post end of bombardment. A wide range of platinum (Pt), gold (Au) and iridium (Ir) isotopes were identified. Effective cross sections at BLIP for Pt-188, Pt-189, Pt-191 and Pt-195m were compared to literature and theoretical cross sections determined using Empire-3.2. The majority of the effective cross sections (<70 MeV) confirm those reported in the literature. While the absolute values of the theoretical cross sections were up to a factor of 3 lower, Empire 3.2 modeled thresholds and maxima correlated well with experimental values. Preliminary evaluation into a rapid separation of Pt isotopes from high levels of Ir and Au isotopes proved to be a promising approach for large scale production. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that with the use of isotopically enriched target material accelerator production of selected platinum isotopes is feasible over a wide proton energy range.