AC-2

Actinium

SEPARATION TIME: 100 s

SEPARATION TECHNIQUE: Extraction, ion exchange

PRODUCTION MODE: Batch

REFERENCE: Chayawattanangkur, K., Herrmann, G., and Trautmann, N., “Heavy isotopes of ^229–232Ac,” J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 35, 3061–3073 ( 1973).

PROCEDURE: Irradiated thorium salt was dissolved in a mixture of α-hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIB) and its ammonium salt, mixed with Dowex-50W X8 resin, and filtered. Actinium was retained by the resin along with yttrium, lanthanides, alkali, and alkaline earths. The resin was washed with NH₄Cl (5%), and then with HIB (1M, pH 3.6); actinium was then eluted with HIB (1M, pH 4.65). The solution containing actinium was passed through a layer of Voltalef coated with HDEHP, which retained actinium. The Voltalef layer was washed with HCl (0.05M); actinium eluted with HCl (2M) and coprecipitated with Fe(OH)₃.

Sb-1

Antimony

SEPARATION TIME: 2.7 s

SEPARATION TECHNIQUE: Volatilization

PRODUCTION MODE: Autobatch

REFERENCE: Rudolph, W., Kratz, K. L., and Herrmann, G., “Half-lives, fission yields, and neutron-emission probabilities of neutron-rich antimony isotopes,” J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 39, 753–758 ( 1977).

PROCEDURE: From the sample dissolved in HCl (12M), the hydrides of antimony, selenium, tellurium, and arsenic were volatilized by a burst of nascent hydrogen generated by the addition of zinc powder. H₂Se and H₂Te were absorbed on quartz wool coated with 0.5M NaOH. The gas containing AsH₃ and SbH₃ was passed through KClO₃ – HCl (9M) solution, which decomposes the hydrides and oxidizes arsenic and antimony to (V). The solution was passed through a layer of plastic powder coated with HDEHP, which retains only antimony. Also refer to Kratz, K. L., et al., Nucl. Phys. A317, 335–362 (1979). Also see procedure Sc-1 under “Selenium,” Kratz, J. V., and Herrmann, G., J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 32, 3713–3723 (1970).