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Absract A feasibility study was conducted to prepare, characterize and apply Mg/Fe Hydrotalcite composite as a core material of γ-sealed source used in spectroscopic measurements. Co-precipitation method was used to prepare the composite. To understand and define the physicochemical properties of the prepared composite, different analytical techniques were used. Optimum conditions for the use of the prepared composite as a core material for a radioactive sealed source were obtained. Finally, radiometric analysis has been done, in addition to testing of both physical and mechanical properties for the prepared sealed source.

Individual metakaolin-based alkali activated binder (AAB) was utilized to optimize binary and ternary ones having f e l d s p a r / m e t a k a o l i n and s l a g / f e l d s p a r + m e t a k a o l i n ratios of 0.3 and 0.4, respectively. These three AABs had the ability to directly solidify 10.0 (FMK0-10R), 8.0 (FMK3-8R) and 12.0% (S4FMK3-12R) of the nuclear grade KY-2 beads, respectively, recording compressive strength values greater than twice the waste acceptance criteria. Leaching of 134Cs, 60Co and 152+154Eu, whether singularly or multiply loaded, was assessed. The multi-radionuclidic systems recorded greater leached fractions in the order of: 152+154Eu>134Cs>60Co. Among the studied systems, S4FMK3-12R formulations recorded the lowest diffusion coefficient values (D). Gamma-irradiation made a desired influence on all studied leaching systems with inverse relationships with the applied irradiation doses. Irradiating the optimized ternary AAB with 3.0 KGy (S4FMK3-12R-ɣ3) yielded the lowest D value (6.65 × 10−13 cm2/s), when single component-60Co was diffused. The leachability indexes of all irradiated AABs were not only greatly exceeded the value of 6 but also sometimes be twice such value. XRD, FT-IR and SEM examinations of S4FMK3, S4FMK3-12R and S4FMK3-12R-ɣ3 reflected their multi-layered semicrystalline natures and to what extent these AABs and the solidified beads had good and poor radiation stabilities, respectively, with a proposed three-step mechanism of such instability.

The present study introduces a new approach based on an irradiated tin target's impurity to produce a125Sb/125mTe radioisotope generator. A prepared generator gel matrix of zirconium-silico-tungstate was loaded with 6660 MBq (180 mCi) activity of the separated antimony. The loading and elution method has been studied as a function of the concentration of H2SO4 acid solution. The effect of mild oxidant (ascorbic acid) in the loading and complexing agent (acetic acid) in elution was investigated to improve the generator's elution profile. A mixture of (0.5 M) ascorbic acid and (0.5 M) H2SO4 acid solution as a loading solution resulted in a maximum distribution of 125Sb. In comparison, using (0.4 M) acetic acid as an eluent solution 125mTe yield reached 88.7% and minimised percentage of 125Sb breakthrough was obtained (