An Integrated Closed Loop Flowsheet for Production of Highly Enriched ⁶³Ni and Deposition of ⁶³Ni Coatings

The existing technologies for the production, separation, and purification of ⁶³Ni, as well as methods for the deposition of nickel coatings to fabricate a betavoltaic nuclear battery have been reviewed. A new integrated closed loop flowsheet for the production of highly enriched ⁶³Ni and deposition of ⁶³Ni coatings using a single reagent, phosphorus trifluoride (PF₃), in all stages of the process is proposed. The use of tetrakis(trifluorophosphine)nickel [Ni(PF₃)₄] allows isotopic enrichment of ⁶²Ni and ⁶³Ni, purification of irradiated Ni from radioactive impurities, and deposition of highly enriched ⁶³Ni onto a semiconductor substrate. The proposed flowsheet allows the amount of the liquid radioactive waste generated during isotope purification and coating deposition to be reduced as compared to traditional “wet” chemistry methods.