NRC-8, EuCheMS International Conference on Nuclear and Radiochemistry

An Automated Production of 64Cu on 18/9 MeV cyclotron

19 Sept 2012, 18:00

1h 50m

Como, Italy

Poster Nuclear Chemistry, Radionuclide Production, High-Power Targetry Poster Session

Speaker

Prof. Pavol Rajec (BIONT, Karloveská 63, Bratislava, Slovakia)

Description

Objectives: The reaction route 64Ni(p,n)64Cu is very popular for the preparation of 64Cu because its entrance channel is accessible at low energies and yield of reaction is quite high. The objective is to develop a module for automated production of 64Cu at BIONT site. Methods: Electrodeposition was performed in galvanostatic mode at current 10–100 mA. Electroplating was accomplished within 1.5–12 h. A thickness of Ni layer was determined by calculation after weighing of Ni on a disk for 1.13 cm2 area. A quality of surface layer was examined by SEM (scanning electron microscope). COSTIS target station was installed at the end of theexternal beam line of the IBA Cyclone 18/9 cyclotron. The target station has been equipped with 300 µm Nb window foil in the front of the target to degrade energy to energy for nuclear energy less than 14 MeV. The homogeneous beam with area of 1.2 cm2 with of 5 µA proton and energy less than 14 MeV was applied. An automated separation module for isolation of 64Cu equipped with PLC SIMATIC S7-1200 controller has been developed. The quality of 64Cu was checked by gamma spectrometry and chemical purity (64Ni) was determined by ICP-MS. Results: The target was prepared by electrodeposition of nickel proceeds according to the Davison and Harrison [1] and Philip and Nicol [2] in ammoniacal solution at pH 9. Target was irradiated with current of 5 µA in the COSTIS target station. 64Cu production rate for 100 mg 64Ni of 99.09 % purity (ISOFLEX) on gold target was 104 MBq/µAh. The separation of 64Cu from the target was achieved by anion exchange chromatography with HCl as elution solution. The chemical purity of 64Cu product was checked by ICP MS and concentration of 64Ni was less than 2 ppm. Conclusions: The procedure developed has been successfully applied for the routine production of no-carrier-added 64Cu from enriched 64Ni generated by the reaction 64Ni(p, n)64Cu using a cyclotron 18/9. An automated separation module with PLC SIMATIC S7-1200 remote control has been constructed for the preparation of 64Cu with good radionuclide and chemical purity. Research Support: This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. VMSPP-0075-09. References: [1] Davison W, Harrison JA (1972) The reduction of aqueous nickel ammine complexes. J Electroanal Chem 36:399–410, [2] Philip HI, Nicol MJ (1976) The electrodeposition of nickel from ammoniacal solutions, project report no. 1804. National Institute for Metallurgy, Randburg