Highly enriched isotopes of uranium and transuranium elements for scientific investigation

The paper describes the production of highly enriched isotopes of uranium, plutonium, americium and curium by means of electromagnetic separation for scientific and applied research in physics, chemistry, geology and other fields. The equipment and radiochemical methods used allows to provide the isotopic pure samples in quantities sufficient to set up nuclear physics experiments, to produce reference materials and standard sources for calibration of radiometrical and mass spectro-material equipment and for use in radionuclear metrology. For a series of nuclei unique characteristics of isotopic enrichment and radiochemical and chemical purity were achieved: 233U: 99.97%; 235U: 99.97%, 236U: 98%, 238U: 99.997%; 238Pu: 99.6%; 239Pu: 99.9977%; 240Pu: 99.9-100%; 241Pu: 96.998%; 242Pu: 97.8-99.96%, 244Pu: 96.7%; 241Am: 99.6%; 242Am: 85.6%; 243Am: 99.2-99.94%; 243Cm: 99.99%; 245Cm: 99.998%; 246Cm: 99.8%; 247Cm: 90%; 248Cm: 97%. Methods of radiochemical and chemical separation, product certification, fabrication of special sources or targets and layers of highly enriched isotopes on various substrates are presented. (orig.)