Production of High-Specific-Activity Radioisotopes Using High-Energy Fusion Neutrons

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that high-energy neutrons from D-T fusion can produce a wide range of medical radioisotopes with high specific activity, offering a new, flexible method for isotope production.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using fusion-driven neutron transmutation to produce medical isotopes with high purity and quantity, involving stable feedstocks and non-fission reactions.

Findings

Fusion neutrons can produce many important medical isotopes.

A fusion neutron source can meet global isotope demand.

Non-fission transmutation allows chemical separation of isotopes.

Abstract

We show that transmutation driven by high-energy neutrons from deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactions can produce many important medical radioisotopes - including $^{32}$P, $^{60}$Co, $^{64}$Cu, $^{89}$Sr, $^{90}$Y, $^{89}$Zr, $^{99}$Mo/$^{99\mathrm{m}}$Tc, $^{103}$Pd, $^{111}$In, $^{117}$In/$^{117\mathrm{m}1}$Sn, $^{123}$I, $^{125}$I, $^{131}$I, $^{133}$Xe, $^{153}$Sm, $^{166}$Ho, $^{177}$Lu, $^{188}$Re, and $^{192}$Ir-and emerging isotopes such as $^{47}$Sc, $^{67}$Cu, $^{103}$Ru/$^{103\mathrm{m}}$Rh, $^{103}$Pd/$^{103\mathrm{m}}$Rh, $^{119}$Sb, $^{124}$I, $^{155}$Tb, $^{161}$Tb, $^{195\mathrm{m}1}$Ir/$^{195\mathrm{m}}$Pt, and $^{225}$Ac with high specific activity and in large quantities. These reactions involve stable, abundant feedstocks and non-fission transmutation channels that change the proton number, enabling chemical separation of the product. Fusion-based transmutation could provide a flexible and proliferation-resistant platform for supply of high-purity isotopes. A D-T neutron source operating at a few megawatts of fusion power could meet or exceed global demand for most major radioisotopes. Further research is required to develop tailored approaches for feedstock processing and product extraction.