Cyclotron production of ⁸⁵Sr by proton irradiation of ^natRb

Abstract

Excitation functions for protons induced on 85/natRb targets that lead to the production of 85Sr radioisotopes using TALYS 1.0 and ALICE/ASH codes were calculated. Rubidium chloride deposition on copper substrate was carried out via sedimentation method in order to produce Strontium-85. 520 mg RbCl, 208 mg ethyl cellulose (EC) and 4 mL acetone were used to prepare a layer of enriched rubidium chloride of 11.69 cm2 area and 62.2 mg · cm−2 thickness. The deposited target was irradiated at 20 A current and 15 MeV proton beam for 10 h and no degradation was observed. The 85Sr production yield was 1.4 MBq/mA · h. The target material was dissolved by 50 mL acetone. Dissolved Strontium-85 was separated from rubidium by Chelex 100 ion exchanger.

Radiochemistry

“…Helium-3 and proton bombardment of selenium and bromine isotopes has yielded valuable cross-section data for the production of bromine-75, 12 -76, 12 and -77 13 as well as krypton-77. 13 A detailed investigation has been made of the production 14 of strontium-85 from the proton irradiation of natural rubidium, whilst the decay of a heavier isotope of strontium can be used in a cation exchange generator 15 for yttrium-90 [ 90 Sr(b À ) 90 Y]. The use of both cyclotrons 16 and linear accelerators 17 for the production of ytttrium-86 has been described.…”