# US 2018/0322973 A1 · Irradiation targets for the production of radioisotopes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322973 A1 - Document ID: US20180322973A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/902,534 - Filed: 2018-02-22 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-24 - Assignees: BWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc. - Applicants: BWXT Isotope Technology Group, Inc. - Inventors: Benjamin D. Fisher; Earl B. Barger; William E. Russell, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322973A1 ## CPC - H05H 6/00: Targets for producing nuclear reactions (supports for targets or objects to be irradiated G21K5/08 {; preparation of tritium C01B4/00; targets, e.g. pellets for fusion reactions by laser or charged particles beam injection H05H1/22}) - G21G 1/06: by neutron irradiation - G21G 2001/0036: {Molybdenum} - H05H: PLASMA TECHNIQUE (apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays H05G2/00); PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS - G21G: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K) ## Abstract An irradiation target for the production of radioisotopes, comprising at least one plate defining a central opening and an elongated central member passing through the central opening of the at least one plate so that the at least one plate is retained thereon, wherein the at least one plate and the elongated central member are both formed of materials that produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) by way of neutron capture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An irradiation target for the production of radioisotopes, comprising: at least one plate defining a central opening; and an elongated central member passing through the central opening of the at least one plate so that the at least one plate is retained thereon, wherein the at least one plate and the elongated central member are both formed of materials that produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) by way of neutron capture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An irradiation target of claim 1, wherein: the at least one plate further comprises a plurality of plates, each central opening of each plate being a circular aperture, and the elongated central member is a cylindrical central tube, the cylindrical tube extending through the plurality of plates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An irradiation target of claim 2, wherein the central tube has a first end and a second end that each extend axially outwardly beyond a respective end of the plurality of plates, wherein the first end and the second end each have an outer diameter that is greater than a diameter of the central openings of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An irradiation target of claim 3, wherein each plate is an annular disk and the plurality of annular disks and the central tube are formed from molybdenum-98 (Mo-98). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An irradiation target of claim 4, wherein each annular disk has a thickness in an axial direction that is parallel to a longitudinal center axis of the central tube of approximately 0.005 inches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An irradiation target of claim 5, wherein each annular disk has an outer diameter of approximately 0.50 inches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) An irradiation target of claim 3, wherein each plate is an annular disk and the plurality of annular disks and the central tube are formed from one of Molybdenum Lanthanum (Mo—La), Titanium Zirconium Molybdenum (Ti—Zr—Mo), Molybdenum Hafnium Carbide (Mo Hf—C), Molybdenum Tungsten (Mo—W), Nickel Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum (Mo-MP35N), and Uranium Molybdenum (U—Mo). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An irradiation target of claim 1, wherein: the at least one plate further comprises a plurality of plates, each control opening of each plate being an elongated slot, and the elongated central member is an elongated strap, the elongated strap extending through the central openings of the plurality of plates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An irradiation target of claim 8, wherein each plate is an annular disk and the plurality of annular disks and the elongated strap formed from molybdenum-98 (Mo-98). ### Claim 10 A method of producing an irradiation target for use in the production of radioisotopes, comprising the steps of: providing at least one plate defining a central opening; providing an elongated central member having a first end and a second end; passing the central member through the central opening of the at least one plate; and expanding the first end and the second end of central member radially outwardly with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the central member so that an outer diameter of the first end and the second end are greater than a diameter of the central opening of the at least one plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: providing an alignment jig with an elongated recess formed in a surface thereof; providing a plurality of plates defining central openings; and inserting the plurality of plates into the elongated recess of the alignment jig so that the central openings are aligned, wherein, the step of passing the central member through the central openings occurs after the plurality of plates are inserted into the alignment jig. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the expanding step further comprises compressing the plurality of plates between the expanded first end and the second end of the central member so that an axial loading on the on the plurality of plates is 10.0 - 30.0 lbs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of forming a continuous groove on an outer surface of the central member between the first and second ends. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing an elongated central member further comprises providing a cylindrical central tube, and the continuous groove is annular. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the expanding step further comprises flaring the first and the second end of the central tube radially outwardly.