Target, apparatus and process for the manufacture of molybdenum-100 targets

A method for manufacturing a target for the production of Tc-99m, comprising the steps of:

• providing a target apparatus for forming a target for production of Tc-99m, comprising:
• a target support plate including copper having a front face and a back face, the front face having formed therein a cavity forming a target material receptacle configured to receive a molybdenum material to form a molybdenum target;
• and
• one or more cooling channels formed on the back face of the target support plate and having a removable supporting material comprising aluminum strips positioned in the one or more cooling channels configured to protect the one or more cooling channels during formation of the molybdenum target, the one or more cooling channels configured to cool the target support plate during formation of Tc-99m from the formed molybdenum target by a flow of a cooling fluid therein during irradiation of the molybdenum target to form the Tc-99m;
• placing the molybdenum material in association with the front face of the target support plate in the cavity forming the target material receptacle;
• and
• applying a pressing force to the molybdenum material to embed the molybdenum material in the cavity forming the target material receptacle for the molybdenum material, the pressing force creating a thin substantially uniform layer of the molybdenum material in the formed cavity of the target support plate to form a molybdenum target for forming Tc-99m.

A process for the production of Tc-99m, comprising the steps of:

• providing a target apparatus for forming a target for production of Tc-99m, comprising:
• a target support plate including copper having a front face and a back face, the front face having formed therein a cavity forming a target material receptacle configured to receive a molybdenum material to form a molybdenum target;
• and
• one or more cooling channels formed on the back face of the target support plate and having a removable supporting material comprising aluminum strips positioned in the one or more cooling channels configured to protect the one or more cooling channels during formation of the molybdenum target, the one or more cooling channels configured to cool the target support plate during formation of Tc-99m from the formed molybdenum target by a flow of a cooling fluid therein during irradiation of the molybdenum target to form the Tc-99m;
• providing the molybdenum target formed of the molybdenum material in the cavity forming the target material receptacle;
• and
• irradiating the molybdenum target with a proton beam having an energy to induce a 100Mo (p, 2n) nuclear reaction in the molybdenum material of the molybdenum target to form the Tc-99m;
• flowing the cooling fluid through the one or more cooling channels during the irradiating of the molybdenum target to provide a temperature of the target support plate to be held to less than about 300 degrees Centigrade (° C.);
• separating the irradiated molybdenum target from the target support plate to form a separated irradiated molybdenum material which includes the formed Tc-99m;
• heating the separated irradiated molybdenum material to a temperature in a range of from about 300° C. to about 1,200° C. to generate a vaporized compound containing the Tc-99m;
• condensing the vaporized compound containing the Tc-99m to form a reaction product;
• adding a base to the condensed reaction product to form a pertechnetate;
• collecting the condensed reaction product containing the solution of a pertechnetate Tc-99m [TcO4]−;
• and
• purifying the Tc-99m [TcO4]− pertechnetate solution from the condensed reaction product to provide the Tc-99m as a radiochemical compound.

A method for manufacturing a target for the production of Tc-99m, comprising the steps of:

• providing a target apparatus for forming a target for production of Tc-99m, comprising:
• a target support plate including copper having a front face and a back face, the front face having formed therein a cavity forming a target material receptacle configured to receive a molybdenum material to form a molybdenum target;
• and
• one or more cooling channels formed on the back face of the target support plate and having a removable supporting material comprising aluminum strips positioned in the one or more cooling channels configured to protect the one or more cooling channels during formation of the molybdenum target, the one or more cooling channels configured to cool the target support plate during formation of Tc-99m from the formed molybdenum target by a flow of a cooling fluid therein during irradiation of the molybdenum target to form the Tc-99m;
• placing the molybdenum material in the cavity forming the target material receptacle on the target support plate;
• and
• applying a pressing force to the molybdenum material placed in the cavity of the target material receptacle on the target support plate to create a pressed thin substantially uniform layer of the molybdenum material in the cavity of the target support plate to form a molybdenum target to form Tc-99m.

A method for manufacturing a target for the production of Tc-99m, comprising the steps of:

• providing a target apparatus for forming a target for production of Tc-99m, comprising:
• a target support plate including copper having a front face and a back face, the front face having formed therein a cavity forming a target material receptacle configured to receive a molybdenum material to form a molybdenum target;
• and
• one or more cooling channels formed on the back face of the target support plate and having a removable supporting material comprising aluminum strips positioned in the one or more cooling channels configured to protect the one or more cooling channels during formation of the molybdenum target, the one or more cooling channels configured to cool the target support plate during formation of Tc-99m from the formed molybdenum target by a flow of a cooling fluid therein during irradiation of the molybdenum target to form the Tc-99m;
• embedding the molybdenum material in the cavity forming the target material receptacle on a target support plate, the target support plate providing a physical support for the molybdenum target to be formed from the molybdenum material;
• and
• applying a pressing force on the molybdenum material embedded on the target support plate to create a pressed thin layer of the molybdenum material on the target support plate forming a molybdenum target to form Tc-99m.