Production of .sup.186 Re, .sup.188 Re and other radionuclides via inorganic szilard-chalmers process

A method for producing a radionuclide via a (n,.gamma.) Szilard-Chalmers reaction, the method comprising

• irradiating a target with neutrons in the presence of an oxidizing agent to form an irradiated mixture, the target comprising a metal target nuclide in the form of a metallic element or an inorganic metallic compound or salt, the irradiated mixture comprising (a) an oxidized product nuclide formed by reaction of the target nuclide with the neutrons and with the oxidizing agent and (b) unreacted target nuclide which has not reacted with a neutron or with the oxidizing agent, the amount of oxidizing agent present during irradiation ranging from a stoichiometric amount to about four times the stoichiometric amount required for the target nuclide to react with the oxidizing agent to form the oxidized product nuclide, and
• separating the oxidized product nuclide from unreacted target nuclide.

A method for producing a radionuclide via a (n,.gamma.) Szilard-Chalmers reaction, the method comprising

• irradiating a target with neutrons at a pressure which is less than atmospheric pressure and in the presence of an oxidizing agent to form an irradiated mixture, the target comprising a metal target nuclide in the form of a metallic element or an inorganic metallic compound or salt, the irradiated mixture comprising (a) an oxidized product nuclide formed by reaction of the target nuclide with the neutrons and with the oxidizing agent, and (b) unreacted target nuclide which has not reacted with a neutron or with the oxidizing agent,
• separating the oxidized product nuclide from unreacted target nuclide.

A method for producing a radionuclide via a (n,.gamma.) Szilard-Chalmers reaction, the method comprising

• irradiating a target with neutrons in the presence of an oxidizing agent to form an irradiated mixture, the target comprising a metal target nuclide in the form of a metallic element or an inorganic metallic compound or salt, the irradiated mixture comprising (a) an oxidized product nuclide formed by reaction of the target nuclide with the neutrons and with the oxidizing agent and (b) unreacted target nuclide which has not reacted with a neutron or with the oxidizing agent,
• cooling the target while the target is being irradiated, and
• separating the oxidized product nuclide from unreacted target nuclide.

A method for producing a radionuclide via a (n,.gamma.) Szilard-Chalmers reaction, the method comprising

• irradiating a target with neutrons in the presence of an oxidizing agent to form an irradiated mixture, the target comprising a metal target nuclide present in a target layer formed on the surface of a substrate, the target layer comprising a metallic element or an inorganic metallic compound or salt and having a projected thickness of not more than about 150 nm, the irradiated mixture comprising (a) an oxidized product nuclide formed by reaction of the metal target nuclide with the neutrons and with the oxidizing agent, and (b) unreacted target nuclide which has not reacted with a neutron or with the oxidizing agent,
• separating the oxidized product nuclide from unreacted target nuclide by a protocol which includes the step of exposing the oxidized product nuclides to a non-oxidizing solvent.