A Laboratory Setup for Express Electrochemical Dissolution of a Powder Rhodium Target

Abstract

This work has been carried out as a part of the study aimed at creating a therapeutic in vivo ¹⁰³Pd/^103mRh generator of Auger electrons. The ¹⁰³Pd radionuclide can be produced in a metal rhodium target as a result of the Rh(p, n)¹⁰³Pd or Rh(d, 2n)¹⁰³Pd reaction. To extract ¹⁰³Pd from the target, it is necessary that rhodium be transferred into solution, which is a rather intricate task. A laboratory setup and a technique for express dissolution of rhodium have been developed. This technique consists in alternating cycles of rhodium dissolution (~2.5 h) with an alternating current of 15 A and recovery with a direct current of 1 A (15 min). The technique for reducing rhodium metal from Rh solution in 6 M hydrochloric acid has been tested in order to include it in a closed ¹⁰³Pd production cycle. The efficiency of the created laboratory setup is demonstrated using an example of the dissolution of a powder rhodium target irradiated with protons.