Large scale production of ⁵¹Cr for medical application in a medium flux research reactor: a comparative investigation of Szilard-Chalmers process and direct (n,γ) route.

The present article reports a systematic assessment on the reactor production of (51)Cr using the Szilard-Chalmers process as well as (50)Cr(n,γ)(51)Cr routes. In an attempt to select the most convenient path to undertake large-scale production of (51)Cr, the effectiveness of both the production routes on the basis of target selection, irradiated target processing, yield and specific activity of (51)Cr, was evaluated. An optimized (50)Cr(n,γ)(51)Cr production scheme offering (51)Cr of requisite purity is the positive outcome.