radioisotopes (1 Viewer)

[strawberry]

anyone got info for this:

"describe how commercial radioisotopes are produced??

 

[chip]

i talked about the cyclotrons (is that what it is) and nuclear reactors

 

[jims]

yes i think theyre the main ones. mayb something about the process to: u bombard something with something and u get something. mayb an example would also help: bombard Na-23 with neutrons in a reactor to get Na-24 or bombard water containing O-18 with protons in a cyclotron to get F-18.

 

[nero_46]

A common method of radioisotope production is by neutron activation in a nuclear reactor. This involves the capture of a neutron by the nucleus of an atom resulting in excess neutrons (neutron-rich).

 

[+:: $i[Q]u3 ::+]

commercial radioisotopes are generally produced in nuclear reactors. Suitable target nuclei are placed in the reactor core and bombarded with neutrons until the required radioisotope is produced (eg Co-60 is produced from Co-59). NB; these radioisotopes need not be transuranic elements.
Also, radioisotopes may be produced as a direct product of nuclear fission (when a heavy nuclei captures a neutron, then breaks apart into similarly-sized fragments). For example, the 'mother' or precursor of technetium-99m (molybdenum something? i can't remember...) is a product of uranium fission.

 

[Huy]

Molybdenum-99, prepared by placing special pellets of UO2 in the reactor core for about a week.

99Mo then decays to 99M Tc (Technetium-99m) as sique pointed out