Production of 28 Mg by bombardment of nat Cl with 200MeV protons: Proof-of-concept study for a stacked LiCl target

Abstract A stacked target consisting of ten Al-encapsulated LiCl discs, for producing 28 Mg via the nat Cl(p,X) 28 Mg process in the energy region 50–200 MeV, is described. This target was irradiated with a 200 MeV beam at an intensity of 100 nA, providing information on both yield and outscattering losses. Results of a Monte Carlo modelling of the beam and target, by means of the code MCNPX, are also presented. Similar Al-encapsulated LiCl discs were individually irradiated with 66 MeV proton beams of 65 and 90 μA, respectively, to study their behaviour under high-intensity bombardment. Once removed from the Al encapsulation, the 28 Mg can be separated from the LiCl target material efficiently, using a 12.5 cm x 1 cm 2 column containing Purolite S950 chelating resin. The eluate contains 7 Be but no other measurable radio-contaminants. The removal of the 7 Be contaminant is performed by cation exchange chromatography in malate media, with 28 Mg being retained by the resin and 7 Be eluted.