Reactor Production of 147Pm
摘要
Abstract
147Pm is used in industry in sealed radioactive sources for measuring the thickness or density of materials and as a power source in radioisotope thermoelectric generators for space research. Traditionally, 147Pm is isolated from a mixture of fission fragments of heavy nuclei. An alternative method for producing the radionuclide is irradiation of neodymium with neutrons from a nuclear reactor. At the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors, reactor irradiation of neodymium oxide of natural isotopic composition was carried out and a pilot batch of 147Pm was obtained.