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Radioisotopes
ABSTRACT
Radioisotopes are produced in a nuclear reaction takes place. This can be expressed in
reactor1,2 by exposing appropriate target terms of an imaginary cross-sectional area
material to the neutrons in the reactor, presented by nucleus around the nucleus to
thereby causing a nuclear reaction to occur the beam of neutrons, perpendicular to the
which leads to the production of desired beam such that if and only if the neutrons
radioisotope. The factors which decide the pass through this area, the nuclear reaction
type of nuclear reaction that takes place and takes place. The value of the cross-section
the rate of production are: varies with the energy of the interacting
neutrons and from nucleus to nucleus. The
1. The energy of the neutrons and the maximum value of the cross-section is for
neutron flux. thermal neutrons. Higher the cross-section;
2. The characteristics and quantity of the higher the probability of radioisotope
target material. formation.
3. The activation cross-section for the
desired reaction.
Characteristics of the Target Material
Neutron flux is the product of neutron (i) Substances which are explosive,
density and the average speed of the neutron pyrophoric, volatile, etc. are not
and is expressed as n/cm2/sec. The neutron permitted to be irradiated in reactor.
interaction with the nucleus of the target (ii) Targets should be stable under
material can be expressed quantitatively in irradiation conditions.
terms of nuclear cross section. It is a measure (iii) Isotopically pure target gives high
of the probability that a given nuclear specific activity radioisotopes.
6 Physics Education • April − June 2006
(iv) The physical form of the target should (v) Multistage reactions
be such that the neutron flux depression
β
U( n , γ ) U ⎯⎯ →
-
238 239 239
is minimum. 92 92 93 Np
(v) The target should be in a suitable
β
⎯⎯ →
-
239
chemical form for post irradiation 94 Pu
processing. Usually target in metallic
form or oxides are preferred.
(vi) If the target is hygroscopic, it is (vi) Fission reaction
preferable to preheat the target prior to Fission of uranium atom 235U by thermal
encapsulation. neutron leads to the formation of a number of
radioisotopes. Each fission provides two
Nuclear reactions leading to radioisotope fission fragments, light (mass no around 95)
production1,2 are: and heavy (mass no around 140), with the
release of about 2.4 neutrons/fission. In fact
(i) (n,γ) reaction: Radiative capture the nuclear reactors work on the principle of
controlled nuclear fission.
This is primarily a thermal neutron reaction
59 Co + 1n → 60 Co + γ (σ = 36b) Calculation
27 0 27
When a target is undergoing irradiation in a
42 Mo + 0 n → 42 Mo + γ (σ = 0.12b)
98 1 99 reactor, a nuclear reaction takes place leading
to the production of radioisotope. The
Here, the product is an isotope of the activation per second (the rate of production)
target element itself and hence cannot be can be written as,
chemically separated.
dN 1
= φσ act N T , (1)
dt
(ii) (n,γ ) followed by β decay:
–
where NT = Total number of atoms present
In some cases (n, γ) reaction leads to a in the target
product with short half-life which decays by φ = Neutron flux in n/cm2/s
β– emission to the isotope of interest. σact = Activation cross section
N1 = Number of activated atoms at
130 Te + 1n → 131Te ⎯β⎯→ 131I + γ
-
an instant of time.
52 0 52 53
Thus, the rate of production is
Chemical separation of I from the target independent of time.1 Once the radioisotope
material tellurium is possible. is produced, it starts decaying with its own
half-life. The net rate of increase of
(iii) (n, p) reaction radioactive nuclei (decay constant λ) is the
difference between the rate of production and
32 S + 1n → 32 P + 1H the rate of decay.
16 0 15 1
dN 1
58 Ni + 1n → 58 Co + 1H = φσ act N T − λN 1 (2)
28 0 27 1 dt
dN 1
(iv) (n, α) reaction or + λN 1 = φσ act N T (3)
dt
6 Li + 1n → 3H + 4 He The solution of equation (3) gives,
3 0 1 2