[ RadSafe ] IBIS Sr-90 source construction

Wed Jun 1 10:50:52 CDT 2016

Thanks for sending this!

Rick

On 5/31/16, 12:22 PM, "radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu on behalf of
Brad Keck" <radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu on behalf of
bradkeck at mac.com> wrote:

>Hi Franz and all,
>
>Just back from a lovely Memorial Day weekend here in the US, and a little
>behind in RadSafing :}
>
>While it is correct that you can¹t electroplate Sr from a simple aqueous
>solution, methods to plate a cathodic surface with Sr have been invented
>over the years, and given the small mass involved with a half millicurie
>source (< 1 microgram) , this may be the most practical way to make a
>source even considering the need for a protective coating to prevent
>oxidation while attenuating the beta emissions minimally.   I did not
>find a direct reference to the IBIS source in question, unfortunately, so
>this is a reasonable possibility.  Most forms of Sr are easily oxidized
>and sensitive to water, so in the event of a fire contacting the source,
>it is likely to release the Sr/Y.  Strontium titanate is an exception
>here but seems that would be hard to make precisely in such small
>quantity, but perhaps there is a way to do this of which I an unaware
>(Anyone?).   Of course, it would be better to have a direct reference but
>it seems this is hard to find :}   I haven¹t needed to look up a sealed
>source construction in a few years, but it seems these are much harder to
>find now than they used to be.
>
>I agree there is far too much of the attitude that anyone who says
>anything different than I say is wrong, stupid, criminal, etc.   There is
>certainly no place for this kind of attitude here on RadSafe!
>
>Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
>
>Brad
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>> On May 29, 2016, at 5:57 PM, Franz Schönhofer
>><franz.schoenhofer at chello.at> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> A little chemistry for Radsafe.
>> 
>> Strontium is a silvery metal and a typical earthalkali element. It is
>>produced by reducing strontium oxide with aluminium powder at high S.
>>Because of its norm potential of -2,89 V it is not possible to
>>electroplate it from an aqueous solution of strontium salts. It is
>>rather reactive and reacts easily with water to form strontium hydroxide
>>and hydrogen. It burns when ignited. Strontium salts show when heated in
>>a flame a beautiful karmin-red colour, which is  used in fireworks.
>> 
>> Sr-90 is used in many technical applications, but it should be noticed
>>that in many applications the much harder beta radiation of its
>>shortlived daughter radionuclide Y-90 (in equilibrium) is actually the
>>"active ingredient". The same is true for the health effects. As well it
>>should not be forgotten that also bremsstrahlung (what a nice english
>>word!) should not be neglected. Remember the Russian forest workers who
>>unknowingly found a well shielded electricity generator based on a Sr-90
>>battery in winter and sat on it because it was warm.
>> 
>> After having read the message on Radsafe I thought that maybe we should
>>not be so harsh with some anti-nuclear agitators because they simply
>>have not the appropriate education. But I discarded this thought
>>quickly, because these people believe really that they or their stars
>>possess the truth and nothing but the truth and anyone who does not
>>share their opinion is stupid, a massmurderer and a criminal. Contrary
>>to this attitude Brad wrote "I believe"!
>> 
>> Best regards,
>> 
>> Franz
>> 
>> 
>> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- From: Ted de Castro  Sent: Wednesday,
>>May 25, 2016 5:43 AM
>> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing
>>List - theSubject: Re: [ RadSafe ] IBIS Sr-90 source construction
>> From what I read on a Google search - the material is a dispersible
>>powder.
>> 
>> On 5/24/2016 6:26 PM, Brad Keck wrote:
>>> Hi Brian,
>>> 
>>> I believe these are electroplated sources, so at the surface of the
>>>metal (stainless steel usually in sources) a thin coat of strontium
>>>will be reduced to it¹s metallic form.
>>> 
>>> It is important of course that the strontium ³plate² be very thin so
>>>that beta emissions are unshielded in the direction of the detectorŠ.
>>> 
>>> Hope this helps..
>>> 
>>> Brad
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On May 24, 2016, at 5:04 PM, Rees, Brian G<brees at lanl.gov>  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Does anybody on the list know the physical form of Sr-90 sources used
>>>>in helicopter blade pressure indicators?
>>>> 
>>>> Specifically, is it strontium titanate, or some other material with a
>>>>low solubility?
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Brian Rees
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