USE OF HIGH PRESSURES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES IN PRODUCTION OF YTTERBIA-BASED CERAMIC RADIATION SOURCES FOR BRACHYTHERAPY
Alexander A. Antanovich, Vadim V. Brazhkin, Igor P. Zibrov, Vladimir P. Filonenko, Sergei V. Akulinichev, Vasily I. Derzhiev
Pages: 14-23
Published: 1 Jan 2013
Views: 57
Abstract: Ytterbium 169 is being investigated as an alternative radionuclide for high dose rate brachytherapy, but practical source fabrication requires very small targets with the highest possible density to maximize specific activity when using Yb2O3 powders enriched in Yb168. This paper presents a compact high pressure, high temperature sintering route for producing high density ytterbia based ceramic blanks suitable for miniature radiation sources. Yb2O3 powder is first cold formed in metal molds at 0.1 to 0.5 GPa without plasticizers, then subjected to thermobaric treatment in a toroid type high pressure chamber. Reaction cell design, sample orientation, and a water soluble pressure transfer tablet are described to enable reliable processing and extraction of millimeter scale parts. Densification and phase evolution were assessed by hydrostatic weighing, X ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Processing at 4.0 GPa and 1100°C yielded predominantly cubic ceramics with density near 9.1 g/cm³, while increasing pressure to 8.0 GPa enabled partial to full transformation to the denser monoclinic phase. The highest density achieved was about 10.0 g/cm³ with fully monoclinic structure and submicron grain sizes after short duration sintering. The results demonstrate the viability of high pressure sintering as a practical pathway to high density ytterbia ceramics for brachytherapy source development.
Keywords: high-dose-rate brachytherapy, ytterbia-based ceramic, high pressure
Cite this article: Alexander A. Antanovich, Vadim V. Brazhkin, Igor P. Zibrov, Vladimir P. Filonenko, Sergei V. Akulinichev, Vasily I. Derzhiev. USE OF HIGH PRESSURES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES IN PRODUCTION OF YTTERBIA-BASED CERAMIC RADIATION SOURCES FOR BRACHYTHERAPY. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Materials, Methods & Technologies 7, 14-23 (2013). https://www.scientific-publications.net/en/article/1003034/
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