[ RadSafe ] RE: 15000 units of Po210

[Muckerheide, Jim (CDA)]

> So no alpha-emitters: 3-yr Po-208 and 100-year Po-209! :-)
> 
> On construction, from ORAU:
> http://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/consumer%20products/staticeliminato
> r.htm 
> 
> In fabricating the older static eliminators of the type shown here,
> polonium-210 was adsorbed on the surface of a silicate ion exchange
> resin which was then heated so that the silica was converted into a
> ceramic. This meant that the polonium-210 was bound within the ceramic
> matrix. The beads, approximately 20 to 60 um in diameter, were then
> affixed with an epoxy resin to a metal (e.g., aluminum) plate.  Since
> the microspheres were not covered with any type of protective coating,
> an open metal grill was used to prevent the source from being touched.
> The soft bristle brush was positioned next to the source in order to
> remove the dust. 
> 
> The following description from NUREG-1717 describes the fabrication of
> the sources for the newer static eliminators: "A technology similar to
> that used in making 241Am sources for smoke detectors is currently
> being used to make the 210Po sources. The 210Po sources made of
> ceramic microspheres are no longer used in the manufacturing of static
> elimination devices in the United States. The 210Po sources made in
> the United States have a silver backing plate covered by a thin gold
> foil and a second composite foil of gold and 210Po. These foils are
> locked together by a pressure weld metallurgy process. The composite
> foil of gold and 210Po is then gold plated to provide an encapsulated
> source that is insoluble and inert in most chemicals. The solid metal
> source is mechanically fastened within a rigid housing and steps are
> taken to prevent disassembly of the source housing."
> 
> 
> Here's a good picture of the "new technology."
> http://www.company7.com/library/staticmaster/AlphaIonization.p.pdf 
> 
> Regards, Jim Muckerheide
>  
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl 
> >[mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of Jim Hardeman
> >Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 11:42 AM
> >To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> >Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] RE: 15000 units of Po210
> >
> >Bernie --
> > 
> >Would seem to me that the half-life would insure that 
> >"serious" folks would be buying your product every few years 
> >... with this, you don't need to "build in" obsolescence ... 
> >it's already built into the very nature of the product! To 
> >quote the Guinness guys -- "BRILLIANT!"
> > 
> >Jim
> >
> >>>> "Bernard L. Cohen" <blc+ at pitt.edu> 12/20/2006 10:59 >>>
> >    Isn't the short half life (138 days) a real pain in a 
> >non-industrial 
> >application like stereos?
> >
> >welch at jlab.org wrote:
> >
> >>I haven't seen the ones for stereos, but they do make 
> >hand-held brushes
> >>used in photography for cleaning film, and there are 
> >industrial-type units
> >>used in manufacturing.
> >>
> >>  
> >>>Keith,
> >>>
> >>>Almost makes you feel sorry for those unfortunate murderers 
> >who've wasted
> >>>all that money on bullets and knives when they could have 
> >just pulled a few
> >>>static eliminator brushes off convenient stereos and gone on 
> >a killing spree.  I found 1960 and 1980 models of "eliminators" on
> the 
> >internet -- are they still available, or gone with the turntable?
> >>>
> >>>Ed Hiserodt
>