Production of Mg-28 by bombardment of Cl-nat with 200 MeV protons: Proof-of-concept study for a stacked LiCl target

摘要

A stacked target consisting of ten Al-encapsulated LiCI discs, for producing Mg-28 via the Cl-nat(p,C)Mg-28 process in the energy region 50-200 MeV, is described. This target was irradiated with a 200 MeV beam at an intensity of 100 nA, providing information on both yield and outscattering losses. Results of a Monte Carlo modelling of the beam and target, by means of the code MCNPX, are also presented. Similar Al-encapsulated LiC1 discs were individually irradiated with 66 MeV proton beams of 65 and 90 mu A, respectively, to study their behaviour under high-intensity bombardment. Once removed from the Al encapsulation, the Mg-28 can be separated from the LiCI target material efficiently, using a 12.5 cm x 1 cm(2) column containing Purolite S950 chelating resin. The eluate contains Be-7 but no other measurable radio contaminants. The removal of the Be-7 contaminant is performed by cation exchange chromatography in malate media, with Mg-28 being retained by the resin and Be-7 eluted. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.