SEPARATION OF RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS BY PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY Russian patent published in 2024 - IPC C22B59/00 

FIELD: chemical or physical processes.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to physical and chemical methods of separating isotopes of lutetium (Lu) and ytterbium (Yb). Invention discloses a method and systems for formation and extraction of ¹⁷⁷Lu. Invention employs a tube or ampoule with two crucibles arranged coaxially with open ends towards each other, intended for storage of initial material in vacuum and irradiation of initial material for its enrichment with product. After irradiation of the initial substance in the form of ytterbium Yb, enriched in ¹⁷⁶Yb, to obtain product substance (177Lu), mixture is sublimated to remove most of the initial substance and concentrate the product. Sublimation is provided by heating the lower part of the lower crucible while cooling the upper part of the ampoule for the initial target material condensation in the receiving crucible, then the concentrated product is purified, and the sublimated target substance can be reused.

EFFECT: increasing useful output of ¹⁷⁷Lu radionuclide from product material with highly efficient, with output of more than 90% by weight, extraction of enriched ytterbium from target material without intermediate stages.

18 cl, 4 dwg