Promethium-147 is a low-energy Beta emitter usually obtained from spent nuclear fuel fission products.  It can also be produced via neutron bombardment at ORNL-HFIR of mg quantities of highly enriched (86%) 146Nd for 3-5 days via the reaction146Nd[n,?]147Nd (t1/2=11 d, �-]147Pm.  It is then allowed to decay from 147Nd (120.5 keV gamma ray at 0.4% intensity) to 147Pm (120.26keV gamma ray with 2.85x10-3% intensity).  Using the least-square algorithm ('CLSQ'), we found this decay period needed to be at least 150 days in order to observe the less intense gamma ray from 147Pm.  CLSQ is capable of fitting decay to resolve short and long-lived isotopes.  This result, together with the experimental yield of 147Pm, chemical separation of Pm from Nd target, and an estimate of the upper limit of 146Pm impurity in 147Pm preparation, will be presented.

Production of promethium-147 via neutron capture of neodymium-146

245th National Meeting (2013)

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