A new production route of Gadolinium-148 for use in Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel production method for Gd-148 using natural Sm and Eu targets via particle accelerators, addressing cost and yield issues of previous methods, and highlights its potential for space exploration power sources.

Contribution

A new production route for Gd-148 using natural targets and particle accelerators, with detailed simulation and yield analysis, offering a viable alternative for space energy applications.

Findings

Simulated cross-section and yield curves for 21 nuclear reactions.

Proposed Gd-148 as an alternative to Pu-238 for space power sources.

Demonstrated feasibility of the new production method.

Abstract

The production of Gd-148 had challenges for available methods in the literature, such as its high cost and low production amount. Therefore, we recommended a new production route of Gd-148 on natural Sm and Eu targets via particle accelerators. For this aim, we calculated and simulated cross-section, activity, the yield of product, and integral yield curves for 21 different nuclear reaction processes under certain conditions. Based on the obtained results, we proposed the radioisotope Gd-148 to use Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators for deep space and planetary explorations in spacecraft and space-probes as a suitable energy source, instead of Pu-238.