Zinc Isotope Fractionation on Benzo-15-crown-5 Resin by Liquid Chromatography

Chromatographic fractionation of zinc isotopes was performed on the synthesized benzo-15-crown-5 resin as a column packing material at 323K in the breakthrough manner for both a frontal and a rear bands. Zinc adsorption capacity was affected by anion chloride concentration and solvent dielectric constant. The heavier zinc isotopes were found enriched to the solution phase and the lighter zinc isotope was concentrated on the resin phase. The frontal maximum enrichment ratio for isotopic pair of ⁶⁸Zn/⁶⁴Zn was 1.0081. The isotope separation coefficients for isotopic pair of ⁶⁸Zn/⁶⁴Zn for frontal and rear band, were 5.3 × 10^?4, 4.5 × 10^?4, respectively.     

Uranium Isotope Separation by Cation Exchange Chromatography Using Uranous Sulfate Complexes

A nearly ideal displacement chromatography has been realized with an eluent of MgS0₄ and H₂SO₄ in the study of uranium isotope separation by means of cation exchange chromatography using uranous sulfate complexes. Uranium-235 was enriched at the end of the chromatogram and ²³⁸U was enriched at the front. Two long distance displacement experiments have been carried out, keeping an isotopic plateau region on the chromatogram. Consequently, good accumulation of the isotopic fractionation based on uranous-sulfate complex formation reactions obtained. The separation coefficient ε of this system was estimated to be about 5×10^?5.     

Calcium isotope separation by band chromatography using 18-crown-6-ether resin

To develop the ⁴⁸Ca enrichment process, a feasibility study on a band chromatography was made using 9 M HCl solution and crown ether resin synthesized in porous silica beads. Prior to the chromatographic experiments, distribution coefficients, Kd, of Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺ were measured at different concentrations of these ionic species. The frontal boundary of the chromatography was made by a usual manner of the breakthrough mode of calcium feeding, and the rear boundary was made by introducing strontium as a following ion on the basis of the observed Kd values. It was confirmed that the heavy isotope ⁴⁸Ca was depleted in the rear boundary region, while ⁴⁸Ca was enriched in the front boundary region. The values of separation coefficient ε (= α – 1) in three chromatographic operations at different temperatures were observed as 2 × 10^?3 ~ 3 × 10^?3. The separation coefficients observed in the front boundary regions, where ⁴⁸Ca was enriched, agreed with those observed in the rear boundary regions, where ⁴⁰Ca was enriched.     

Selectivity and Efficiency of Laser Isotope Separation Processes of Gadolinium

Isotopic selectivity and ionization efficiency are discussed in the isotope separation processes of Gd based on polarization selection rules and based on isotope shift. Enrichment of ¹⁵⁷Gd to 90% was experimentally demonstrated using both methods together. The features of the absorption spectra of Gd in yellow-red and blue regions were summarized. Absorption spectra that are suitable for separation process using isotope shift were examined and an obtainable selectivity and efficiency are quantitatively calculated.     

Zinc Isotope Effects Observed by Liquid Chromatography with Benzo-15-Crown-5 Resin

The chromatographic fractionation in Zn isotopes was performed on the synthesized benzo-15-crown-5 resin at 313 and 343 K. The lighter isotopes were found enriched in the resin phase. The isotope fractionation coefficients (ε) were 3.4 and 2.9×10^?4, 4.7 and 4.7×10^?4, and 6.7 and 5.7×10^?4 for the ⁶⁶Zn/⁶⁴Zn, ⁶⁷Zn/⁶⁴Zn and ⁶⁸Zn/⁶⁴Zn isotopic pairs at 313 and 343 K, respectively. They reflected mass-dependence among the Zn isotopes at each operated temperature but did not show 1/T² -temperature proportionality. The temperature effects of the composition of Zn species both in the solution phase and in the resin phase may account in part for the latter observation. The magnitudes of ε's in this study were comparable to the ones obtained by ion exchange chromatography, but much smaller than those observed in the solvent extraction systems with a crown ether in the organic phase.     

Activation Analysis of Gadolinium Impurity in High Purity Europium Oxide

Abstract

An analytical method for determining Gd impurity in high purity Eu₂O₃ is proposed, which makes use of neutron activation and cation-exchange separation to examine its suitability as target material for the production of ^{152 m, 152, 154}Eu.

Long-term irradiation of an Eu sample resulted in ¹⁵³Gd activity amounting to 1.8 times that of the same nuclide produced from an equal quantity of Gd by (n, γ) reaction. This experimental value is quite consistent with that obtained by calculation under the assumption that the ¹⁶³Gd results from nuclear reaction on ¹⁵¹Eu induced by secondary neutrons.

For the accurate determination of Gd, Gd impurity was separated from the Eu sample prior to neutron irradiation in order to reduce the self-shielding effect in the Eu sample. Separation by cation-exchange with α-hydroxyisobutyrate (0.33 M, pH 3.77) made it possible to reduce the content of Eu in the Gd fraction below 7×10^?3%. This sufficed to assure that the ¹⁵⁹Gd content in ^152mEu was smaller than 1×10^?3%. For the determination of Gd content below 10⁴ ppm, however, should necessitate further purification of the irradiated Gd fraction.     

Researches on Laser Isotope Separation of Gadolinium and Boron

Laser isotope separation experiments of Gd and B by atomic and molecular methods, respectively, have been performed. Gadolinium-157 was selectively photoionized by means of three linearly polarized dye lasers, the excitation process of which is based on the polarization selection rules. The effect of magnetic field on isotopic selectivity was discussed. ¹⁰BCl₃ was selectively photodissociated through IR multiphoton dissociation by the irradiation of TEA CO₂ laser or free electron laser (FEL). Selectivity was improved by two-color laser irradiation.     

Strontium Isotope Effect in Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Strontium Chloride Using a Crown Ether

Isotope effects in a liquid-liquid extraction of strontium with dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DC18C6) were investigated. Unit mass enrichment factors were observed to increase with concentrations of strontium salt in an aqueous phase. Isotope distinguishing ability of DC18C6 to strontium isotopes was calculated as an intrinsic separation factor to be K _c =1.00051±0.00004. An odd mass number isotope, ⁸⁷Sr, was recognized to behave differently from even mass number isotopes, ⁸⁴Sr, ⁸⁶Sr and ⁸⁸Sr. The enrichment factor induced by a nuclear property (odd or even mass number) other than the mass difference was ε_O/E = ?8.0 × 10^?4 which was observed with 3.2M Sr aqueous solution. Isotope shift of energy state for 5S-orbital of strontium produces the isotope shift in vibrational energy between the strontium ion and the DC18C6.     

Simultaneous separation and recovery of Cs(I) and Sr(II) using a hybrid macrocyclic compounds loaded adsorbent. Kinetic,equilibrium and dynamic adsorption studies

In this study, simultaneous separation and recovery of Cs(I) and Sr(II) from nitric acid solution was investigated using a silica-based hybrid adsorbent. The adsorbent was prepared by successive impregnation and fixing of two supramolecular recognition agents namely, 1,3-[(2,4-diethylheptylethoxy)oxy]-2,4-crown-6-Calix[4]-arene(Calix[4]arene-R14) and 4',4' (5")-di(tert-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6, onto a silica-based polymer support(SiO₂-P). Uptake properties, characterization, equilibrium kinetics, and dynamic adsorption properties of Cs(I) and Sr(II) were then assessed. Distribution coefficients (K_d) higher than 10² cm³/g for Cs(I) and Sr(II) were obtained using 3 M HNO₃ at 298 K, and the K_d values decreased with increasing temperature. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium studies fitted well with pseudo-second-order model and Redlich–Peterson isotherm model, respectively. The constant total organic carbon values in the aqueous phase were obtained after adding 10^?3 ～ 4 M HNO₃. Results of the dynamic adsorption/elution test indicated that Cs(I) and Sr(II) were efficiently and simultaneously captured and eluted even under a flow rate of 1.5 cm³/min.     

Estimation of the radiation dose equivalent for the hypothetical submergence of a sea-transport package of low-level radioactive waste

Japanese Electric Power Utilities plans to transport low-level radioactive waste (LLW) in CSD-C (36 canisters) and CSD-B packages (10 canisters) by sea from France to Japan. In this study, we carried out assessments of the dose to the public from a hypothetical release of radioactive materials from submerged LLW packages into the sea. The estimated dose equivalents from the CSD-C and CSD-B packages were 2.8 × 10^?8 and 7.9 × 10^?9 mSv year^?1, respectively, for the near shore case. For the deep sea case, the estimated dose equivalents were 8.6 × 10^?8 and 5.8 × 10^?8 mSv year^?1, respectively. These estimated results were much smaller than those found in a previous study of Type-B packages (spent fuel, high level waste, and mixed oxide fuel) and the ICRP recommendation (1 mSv year^?1).     

Theoretical study of the adsorption of Cs,Cs+, I,I−, and CsI on C60 fullerene

Theoretical investigation for the adsorption of the cesium atom (Cs), the cesium iodide molecule (CsI), the iodine atom (I), the cesium cation (Cs⁺), and the iodide anion (I^?) onto the surface of a single fullerene molecule (C₆₀) are reported. A hybrid exchange–correlation functional using the Coulomb-attenuating method (CAM-B3LYP) is employed. The adsorption energies, i.e., the opposite of enthalpy change through adsorption, are calculated to be 143, 12, 9, 46, and 49 kJ mol^?1 for Cs, CsI, I, Cs⁺, and I^?, respectively. The equilibrium constant for Cs is calculated to be 7×10³ atm^?1 at the temperature of 1000 K and is seven orders of magnitude higher than that for CsI, indicating that the C₆₀ molecule adsorb the Cs atom highly selectively against the CsI molecule.     

Calcium isotope fractionation in liquid chromatography with crown ether resins

Breakthrough mode liquid chromatography was employed to study calcium isotope fractionation. Highly porous silica beads, the inner pores of which were embedded with a benzo-18-crown-6 ether resin or a benzo-15-crown-5 ether resin, were used as column packing material. For both the resins, enrichment of heavier isotopes of calcium was observed in the frontal part of their respective calcium chromatograms. The values of the isotope fractionation coefficient were on the order of 10^?3 and 10^?4 for the benzo-18-crown-6 ether and benzo-15-crown-5 ether resins, respectively. The observed isotope fractionation coefficient was dependent on the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the calcium feed solution; a higher hydrochloric acid concentration resulted in a smaller fractionation coefficient value. The present calcium isotope effects were most probably mass dependent, indicating they came from isotope effects based on molecular vibration. Molecular orbital calculations supported the present experimental results in a qualitative fashion.     

Enrichment of Phosphorus-32 by Activation of Tripolyphosphate

Enrichment of ³²P was attempted by Szillard-Chalmers effect on a neutron irradiated tripolyphosphate hexahydrate in the first eluate from anion-exchange resin column by chromatographic separation with gradient elution. Forty to fifty % of radioactive ³²P was foand as orthophosphate, having a specific activity of around 100 mCi/g of phosphorus at the end of about 20 min irradiation with a neutron flux of 5 × 10¹²n/cm²-sec in the KUR 1 MW reactor. The increase of specific activity is straightforward for a short period of irradiation. The enrichment factor was several thousand when recrystallized tripolyphosphate hexahydrate was used as target compound containing 0.02% of orthophosphate-P as impurity. Radiation effect, radiolysis by γ-rays and fast neutron, thermal degradation and isotopie exchange effect were examined as factors that might affect the enrichment. The relation between the specific activity of the isolated phosphates and the exposure time was estabished from a series of experiments in which the time of irradiation was varied.     

Design a 10 kJ IS Mather Type Plasma Focus for Solid Target Activation to Produce Short-Lived Radioisotopes 12C(d,n)13N

A 10 kJ (15 kV, 88 μF) IS (Iranian Sun) Mather type plasma focus device has been studied to determine the activity of a compound exogenous carbon solid target through ¹²C(d,n)¹³N nuclear reaction. The produced ¹³N is a short-lived radioisotope with a half-life of 9.97 min and threshold energy of 0.28 MeV. The results indicate that energetic deuterons impinging on the solid target can produce yield of $ \langle y\rangle $  = 6.7 × 10^?5 with an activity of A = 6.8 × 10⁴ Bq for one plasma focus shut and A _ν  = 4 × 10⁵ Bq for 6 shut per mint when the projectile maximum deuterons energy is E _max = 3 MeV.     

Adsorption behavior of radioactive cesium by non-mica minerals

We studied the adsorption behavior of radioactive cesium (Cs) by the non-mica minerals kaolinite, halloysite, chlorite, montmorillonite, mordenite, MnO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and FeOOH to elucidate the environmental behavior of radioactive Cs fallout from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in the Tohoku region of Japan. The adsorption and desorption experiments of Cs on the minerals were carried out at the Cs concentrations 1 × 10^?4, 1 × 10^?5, and 2 × 10^?9 mole L^?1 at pH 5.5. The desorption of Cs from the minerals was examined using 0.1 mole L^?1 LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, and CsCl solutions. The sequential desorption was examined using a 0.1 mole L^?1 LiCl solution, a 1 mole L^?1 KCl solution, and a 1 mole L^?1 HCl solution. The distribution coefficient (K _d) for the minerals at the Cs concentration 10^?9 mole L^?1 was in the order of mordenite > illite > montmorillonite, sericite, MnO₂, kaolinite, and halloysite > chlorite, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and FeOOH, differing from the order observed at higher Cs concentrations. After the sequential desorption by the three reagent solutions, the residual fraction of Cs was higher at the Cs concentration 10^?9 mole L^?1 than at higher concentrations. Approximately 40%, 40%, 50%, and 25% of the adsorbed Cs were residual in montmorillonite, mordenite, MnO₂, and kaolinite, respectively, after the sequential desorption. These results strongly suggest that (1) radioactive Cs at 10^?9 mole L^?1 is more strongly associated with the non-mica minerals than at higher concentrations of 1 × 10^?4 and 1 × 10^?5 mole L^?1, and (2) the non-mica minerals montmorillonite, mordenite, kaolinite, and MnO₂ contributed to the fixation of the radioactive Cs fallout on Fukushima soil.     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies of selective adsorption and separation for strontium using DtBuCH18C6 loaded resin

A crown ether loaded resin was prepared by successive impregnation and fixing the 4′,4′(5″)-di(tert-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6 (DtBuCH18C6) and its molecule modifier, 1-dodecanol, onto the porous silica/polymer composite support (SiO₂-P particles). The characterization of DtBuCH18C6 loaded resin was examined by thermal gravimetry and differential thermal analysis and electron probe microanalysis. The adsorption behavior of Sr(II), Cs(I), Ru(III), Pd(II), La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Zr(IV), and Mo(VI) was investigated by the batch method. Furthermore, the column test for Sr (II) was performed. The batch experiments were carried out by varying the shaking times, HNO₃ concentration, and initial concentration of metal ions. A relatively large K _d value above 182 cm³/g for Sr(II) was obtained in the presence of 3 M HNO₃. In contrast, the K _d values of Cs(I), Ru(III), Pd(II), La(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III), Zr(IV), and Mo(VI) were considerably lower than 10 cm³/g. The adsorption of Sr(II) was found to be controlled by chemisorption mechanism, and followed a Langmuir-type adsorption equation. The breakthrough curve of Sr(II) had S-shaped profile, and the elution percentage was estimated to be 99.9% by using the eluent of H₂O.     

Isotope selective excitation of 155Gd and 157Gd isotopes from 9D°2–6 states using broadband lasers

The feasibility of isotope enrichment of ¹⁵⁵Gd and ¹⁵⁷Gd isotopes using relatively broadband lasers within the tuning range of rhodamine-6G dye has been studied. A new set of photoionization schemes have been proposed for using in the industrial scale enrichment of these isotopes. These photoionization schemes result in better photon economy compared to the photoionization schemes reported earlier. The enriched isotopic mixture results in a 50% increase in the neutron absorption cross-section and a 70% reduction in the residual neutron absorption. The degree of enrichment of the odd isotopes is adequate for using the enriched mixture as an efficient burnable poison. The effect of linewidth of the excitation laser and Doppler width of the atom source on the degree of enrichment have been theoretically evaluated and experimentally verified. The computed selectivities were in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Isotope Effects in Electrolytic Formation of Lithium Amalgam

Isotope effects in the lithium amalgam formation were studied by using the mercury cathode and LiOH solutions. The electrolyses were carried out at different conditions of both applied voltages 4–10 V, and the concentrations of initially charged LiOH, 0.5–5 mol/dm³. Higher efficiency of electrolytic amalgam formation was observed at higher LiOH concentrations and higher applied voltages. At these conditions, however, significant amount of solid amalgam was produced in the mercury phase. From the isotopic analyses on the samples taken during the electrolyses, it was found that the isotopic equilibrium was attained between the aqueous and the liquid amalgam phases. The isotopic equilibrium constant (isotope separation factor) was determined as 1.056 (average value for all the experiments) at 20°C.     

The Influence of Cathode Voltage and Discharge Current on Neutron Production Rate of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion (IR-IECF)

In this research effect of gas pressure, discharge current and cathode voltage on the neutron production rate in IR-IECF device is studied. In the experiment discharge current from 20 to 100 mA was tunable by deuterium gas pressure from 6.4 × 10^?3 mbar to 1.7 × 10^?2 mbar and cathode voltage was changed from 20 to 80 kV. Moreover, maximum value of neutron production rate can be achieved in optimum pressure and discharge current at a constant voltage.     

Nuclear data sheets for A = 158

Experimental nuclear data for nuclides with mass 158 are presented.All nuclei with Z between 62 and 72 with the exception of Lu (Z=71) have been reported for this mass number. Although gammas in ¹⁵⁸Eu ground-state decay have recently been studied with better accuracy, there is uncertainty regarding β-feeding of ¹⁵⁸Gd levels. The study of ¹⁵⁷Gd(n,γ) reaction with a crystal diffraction spectrometer has enabled the determination of ¹⁵⁸Gd levels with greater precision. However, there remain a large number of unassigned gamma transitions seen in (n,γ) reaction; also the conversion electron data from n-capture studies could not easily be correlated with other available data on ¹⁵⁸Gd. There is ambiguity regarding the Q⁺-value in (ε/β⁺)-decay of ¹⁵⁸Ho. It is also not clear which of the gammas seen in ¹⁵⁸Ho decay are due to the direct feeding of ¹⁵⁸Dy levels by the 27-m ^158mHo state.Unless indicated otherwise, all energies given in the following pages are in MeV. Every effort has been made to include all data available prior to July 1, 1973. Some of the older data have been omitted or referenced under “other measurements.”