Transmutation of Technetium. Results of the EFTTRA-T1 Experiment.
The transmutation of the fission product 99Tc was studied by neutron irradiation in the High Flux Reactor at Petten. Six metallic rods of pure Tc, distributed over three capsules, were irradiated during eight reactor cycles to a total neutron fluence of about 2 x 10 26 m-2. Metallographic examinations showed that no changes in the microstructurewere visible after the irradiation. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of the radial distribution of ruthenium, the product of the transmutation process, showed an increase from about 6% in the centre to 12-18% near the rim of the pellets. This effect is due to epithermal neutron capture in the rim region. Mass spectrometric analysis of the pellet-average ruthenium concentration showed that the extent of transmutation is about 6-7%.
KONINGS R. J. M.;
STALIOS Achilleas;
WALKER Clive Thomas;
COCUAUD N.;
1998-04-24
JRC15945
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