Radionuclide production using a fast flux reactor

The production of 89Sr, 32,33P, 35S via the (n, p)-reaction, and 117mSn, 153Gd via the (n, γ)-reaction using the BOR-60 fast flux reactor was experimentally studied. Test samples were irradiated in the active core of the BOR-60 reactor with fast neutron flux of 1 × 1015 cm−2s−1 for 40–100 effective days. Gadolinium-153 was produced in a radial blanket cell, characterized by a modified (“softened”) neutron spectrum. Data on target materials, procedure of irradiated target reprocessing, radionuclide yield, and specific activity are summarized in the report. The results of the experiment showed that large-scale production of the radionuclides listed above is possible using a fast-flux reactor.