ABSTRACT
This paper describes a method for the preparation of large-area (90)Sr/(90)Y polymer film sources for the calibration of hand contamination monitors. The process consists of solvent extraction of predictable quantity of (90)Sr into an organic solvent containing di-tert-butyl-cyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6), formation of a polymeric solution of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), pouring the (90)Sr-embedded polymer solution over a surface of a defined area followed by evaporation to create a thin film and peeling-off of the radioactive PMMA film. Quality control tests of the radioactive films were carried out to ensure nonleachability, uniform distribution of activity and stability. Sources having 5kBq±428Bq were prepared using this method and routinely used for calibration of contamination monitors.
Subject(s)
Hand , Radiometry/methods , Strontium Radioisotopes/chemistry , Yttrium Radioisotopes/chemistry , Autoradiography , Calibration , Humans , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Spectrometry, X-Ray EmissionABSTRACT
This paper describes a method for the preparation of (147)Pm sources, utilized in the determination of graphite coating thickness on the inner surface of the zircaloy cladding tube of nuclear fuels. (147)Pm was adsorbed on a limited surface area [1.5mm (Ï)×2mm (l)] of a cylindrical aluminum rod [1.5mm (Ï)×10mm (l)]. In brief, the selected tip area [1.5mm (Ï)×2mm (l)] was anodized at a current density of 15mA/cm(2) at 15°C in 3M·H(2)SO(4) for 2h followed by immersion of this area in 10µL of (147)Pm solution containing 37MBq (1mCi) of activity at pH 6.0 for 24h. The radioactive area was subsequently covered with a thin layer of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) to prevent leaching of (147)Pm from the source. The quantity of incorporated (147)Pm activity was assayed in a calibrated ion chamber. Quality control tests were carried out to ensure nonleachability, uniform distribution of activity and stability of the sources.
