13-18 November 2016
Protea Hotel Stellenbosch
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
The deadline for abstract submission is 31 July 2016

Actinide targets for fundamental research in nuclear chemistry and -physics

15 Nov 2016, 14:30
30m
Protea Hotel Stellenbosch

Protea Hotel Stellenbosch

Techno Avenue, Techno Park, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, 7130 Cape Town South Africa. (http://www.proteahotels.com/hotels/Pages/Protea-HotelStellenbosch.aspx)
Oral Plenary Session 5

Speaker

Dr Klaus Eberhardt (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz Germany)

Description

Abstract Thin actinide layers deposited on metallic or non-metallic substrates are widely used as calibration sources in nuclear spectroscopy. Other applications include fundamental research in nuclear chemistry and –physics, e.g. the chemical and physical properties of super-heavy elements (SHE, Z > 103) or nuclear reaction studies with heavy ions. For this, layers of actinide target nuclei such as 238U, 242/244Pu, 248Cm, 249Bk and 249Cf with areal mass densities up to 1 mg/cm2 deposited on 1-2 μm thin metallic foils are required. For the design of future nuclear reactors like fast-fission reactors and accelerator-driven systems for transmutation of nuclear waste, precise data for neutron absorption as well as neutron-induced fission cross section data for 242Pu with neutrons of different energies are of particular importance. A recent application include studies of nuclear transitions in 229Th. For this, a thin and very smooth layer of 233U is used. We report here on the production of actinide layers by Molecular Plating (MP). MP is currently the only fabrication method in cases where the desired actinide material is available only in very limited amounts or possess a high specific activity. Here, deposition is performed from organic solution applying a current density of 1-2 mA/cm2. Under these conditions target thicknesses of 500-1000 μg/cm2 are possible applying a single deposition step with deposition yields approaching 100 %.). For yield determination α-particle spectroscopy, γ-spectroscopy and Neutron Activation Analysis is routinely used. Layer homogeneity can be checked with Radiographic Imaging. For target characterization on a μm-scale a Scanning Electron Microscope in combination with X-ray Fluorescence is also available. The combination of these analytical techniques is essential to improve the current target fabrication technology and to understand target performance under long-term irradiations conditions. As an alternative technique to MP the production of thin lanthanide and actinide layers by ink-jet printing is currently investigated.

Primary author

Dr Klaus Eberhardt (Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz Germany)

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