CONTINUOUS, STEADY-STATE, CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF GADOLINIUM ISOTOPES

摘要

A method and apparatus for the partial or complete continuous separation of isotopes of gadolinium, especially high thermal neutron capture cross-section gadolinium isotopes, using continuous, steady-state, chromatography in which an ion exchange resin is the stationary phase, an aqueous solution of ions based on a mixture of gadolinium isotopes is the feed phase, and an aqueous acid eluant solution is the mobile phase. The method involves the mobile phase eluting or desorbing the gadolinium isotopic solute or ligand adsorbed on the stationary phase under conditions such that each of the various naturally occurring isotopes of gadolinium is primarily eluted in an elution volume distinct from the elution volumes of the other isotopes. In a preferred embodiment, the conditions are such that at least one of the elution volumes contains essentially only one isotope of gadolinium. The method is preferably conducted in a continuous, steady-state manner, and it is preferably conducted in a single operation in a continuous annular chromatograph (CAC).