Production of 191Pt from an iridium target by vertical beam irradiation and simultaneous alkali fusion

We have developed a new method for producing ¹⁹¹Pt from an iridium target. Alkali fusion of iridium was successfully performed using a vertical beam irradiation method and a mixed target of Ir and Na₂O₂, which resulted in easy dissolution of the irradiated iridium target. A trace amount of Pt^ⅣCl₆^2- was isolated from bulk Ir^ⅣCl₆^2- by solvent extraction and anion exchange chromatography. The production yield of ¹⁹¹Pt was 7.1 ± 0.4 (MBq/μA h, EOB) by proton irradiation at 30 MeV. The radioplatinum product (n.c.a.) was prepared at a radiochemical purity of 97% for Pt^ⅣCl₆^2-, and 95% for Pt^ⅡCl₄^2-, respectively.

Excitation functions of proton- and deuteron-induced nuclear reactions on natural iridium for the production of 191Pt

We studied the excitation functions of residual radionuclides produced via proton and deuteron bombardment on natural iridium in the energy ranges of 30-15 MeV and 50-15 MeV, respectively. A conventional stacked-foil activation technique combined with HPGe γ-ray spectrometry was used to measure the excitation functions for ^{189, 191}Pt and ^{189, 190g, 192g, 194g}Ir radionuclide production. Theoretical thick target yields were estimated to be 172 MBq/µA h and 192 MBq/µA h via the ¹⁹³Ir(p,3n)¹⁹¹Pt reaction at 29.6-17.5 MeV and the ¹⁹³Ir(d,4n)¹⁹¹Pt reaction at 40.3-23.8 MeV, respectively. The feasibility of ¹⁹¹Pt production from an iridium target was discussed, and compared with previously reported methods for the production of ¹⁹¹Pt.

Measurement of activation cross sections of alpha particle induced reactions on iridium up to an energy of 50 MeV

Cross sections of alpha particle induced nuclear reactions on iridium were investigated using a 51.2-MeV alpha particle beam. The standard stacked-foil target technique and the activation method were applied. The activity of the reaction products was assessed without chemical separation using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Excitation functions for production of gold, platinum and iridium isotopes (^196m2Au, ^196m,gAu, ^195m,gAu, ¹⁹⁴Au, ^193 m,gAu, ¹⁹²Au, ^191m,gAu, ¹⁹¹Pt, ^195mPt, ^194gIr, ^194mIr, ^192gIr, ^190gIr and ¹⁸⁹Ir) were determined and compared with available earlier measured experimental data and results of theoretical calculations using TALYS code system. Cross section data were reported for the first time for the ^natIr(α,x)^196m2Au, ^natIr(α,x)^196m,gAu, ^natIr(α,x)¹⁹¹Pt, ^natIr(α,x)^195mPt, ^natIr(α,x)^194gIr, ^natIr(α,x)^194mIr, ^natIr(α,x)^190gIr and ^natIr(α,x)¹⁸⁹Ir processes. A possible production route for ^195mPt, the potentially important radionuclide in nuclear medicine, is discussed.