Measurement of 99 Mo Yield in 100 Mo( P , X ) with 30 MeV Proton Irradiation of Multicomponent Submicron Particles

The radionuclide 99 Mo was produced and separated in the process of irradiating powdered mixtures of molybdenum compounds and buffer particles by 30 MeV protons. The separation is based on the Szilard–Chalmers effect wherein 99 Mo recoil particles are fixed in inert buffer particles. Two types of targets were investigated by using mixtures: soluble molybdenum compound–insoluble buffer and insoluble molybdenum compound–soluble buffer. 99 Mo yield equal to 20% with enrichment coefficient 18.3 was obtained by using a target consisting of a mixture of submicron 100 MoO 3 and Al 2 O 3 particles; the 99 Mo yield was equal to 20% and the enrichment coefficient 18.3. For a target with the composition 100 MoS 2 + KCl, making it possible to separate 99 Mo recoil atoms directly into solution, the 99 Mo yield was equal to 8.7% and the enrichment coefficient 30.7.