Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Results of Californium-252 Production by Berkelium-249 Irradiation in the SM-3 Reactor in Matrices of Various Composition

5/18/2026 2026 - #02 Physics in nuclear power engineering

Kupriyanov A.V. Romanov E.G. Tarasov V.A. Abdullov R.G. Butkalyuk P.S. Minvaliev R.N. Suleimanov I.R. Kornilov D.A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2026.2.04

UDC: 621.039.8.002

The capabilities of the high-flux SM-3 reactor allow production of a large number of transplutonium isotopes for industry, medicine and science. The most valuable isotope is 252Cf for compact neutron sources. The large-scale production of 252Cf is a long and multi-stage process. The final stage is the irradiation of targets with heavy curium isotopes. Berkelium-249 accumulates in curium targets as a byproduct with 252Cf and has no value for practical use. However, when berkelium and its decay product 249Cf are irradiated in the reactor, additional amounts of 252Cf can be obtained. This work presents the results of computational and experimental studies on irradiation of mixture of 249Bk and 249Cf in the SM-3 reactor. Three different types of reactor targets, containing aluminum oxide ceramic foam, quartz powder and copper tablets as a matrix were investigated. Its neutron-physical and thermophysical characteristics, important for effectiveness of 252Cf accumulation, were evaluated. The main results of irradiated targets radiochemical processing are provided, including comparison of experimental/calculated 249Cf yields and substantiation of optimal target matrix material for irradiation of milligram amounts of berkelium and californium in the SM-3 reactor.

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californium-252 berkelium-249 californium-249 SM-3 reactor neutron irradiation isotope production neutron-physical characteristics activity measurement radiochemical processing

Link for citing the article: Kupriyanov A.V., Romanov E.G., Tarasov V.A., Abdullov R.G., Butkalyuk P.S., Minvaliev R.N., Suleimanov I.R., Kornilov D.A. Results of Californium-252 Production by Berkelium-249 Irradiation in the SM-3 Reactor in Matrices of Various Composition. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2026, no. 2, pp. 55-69; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2026.2.04 (in Russian).

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