Large scale production of Cu and Cu via the Zn(n, p)Cu and Zn(n, np/d)Cu reactions using accelerator neutrons

Kawabata, Masako*; Motoishi, Shoji*; Ota, Akio*; Motomura, Arata*; Saeki, Hideya*; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; Nagai, Yasuki*; Hashimoto, Kazuyuki*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 330(3), p.913 - 922, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07987-3

Both Cu and Cu are promising radionuclides in nuclear medicine. Production yields of these radionuclides were quantified by irradiating 55.4 g of natural zinc with accelerator neutrons. Clinically suitable Cu and Cu yields were estimated by experimental based numerical simulations using 100 g of enriched Zn and Zn, respectively, and elevated neutron fluxes from 40 MeV, 2 mA deuterons. A combined thermal- and resin-separation method was developed to isolate Cu and Cu from zinc, resulting in 73% separation efficiency and 97% zinc recovery. Such methods can provide large scale production of Cu and Cu for clinical applications.