Photonuclear production of Ca for Ca/Sc generator from natural CaCO targets.

This work investigated the indirect production of Sc from natural Ca targets via Ca(γ,n)Ca→Sc + β + ν‾ with incident electron energies of 30, 35, and 40 MeV. The Ca production yields were simulated using the PHITS Monte Carlo simulation code and compared to experimental data. The simulated production rates for all three irradiations are in good agreement with experimental data within uncertainties. As a demonstration of the Ca/Sc generator system, one of the irradiated CaCO targets was dissolved in nitric acid, and Sc was isolated from the target material using commercially available Eichrom DGA resin. The Sc was allowed to grow in, and the purification process was repeated with promising Sc and Ca recovery yields.