Nickel electrodepositing for uranium sealing

• Autor(a) principal: GARCIA, RAFAEL H.L.
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: SALIBA-SILVA, ADONIS M., CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE CORROSAO, 32.; INTERNATIONAL CORROSION MEETING, 4th
• Tipo de documento: Artigo de conferência
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional do IPEN
• Texto Completo: http://repositorio.ipen.br/handle/123456789/16824
• topic: electrodeposition; uranium; targets; nickel; sealing materials; x-ray diffraction; scanning electron microscopy

To its utilization as target for radioisotope production, uranium must be properly sealed before its irradiation in the reactor. For this purpose, aluminum has been a common choice, due to its chemical compatibility with uranium, reduced neutron cross section and mechanical stability in corrosive reactor pool environment. However, the use of aluminum in 99Mo production comprises an alkaline dissolution route, and it not only generates considerable losses of 99Mo, but produces large quantities of radioactive liquid as waste. In this sense, this work proposes an alternative route of producing uranium targets, based on replacing the aluminum with nickel. Uranium was electrodeposited over a nickel substrate and covered by successive electrodeposited nickel. Watts???s bath and isopropanol were used as electrolytes, through pulsed electrodepositing methods. The samples were characterized by beta and gamma counter, XRD, SEM and OM. Although the electrodeposition of nickel over uranium still needs some progress, the results suggest a promising route of uranium target production.