Preparation of 48Ca and its use in experiments on synthesis of new superheavy elements

Abstract

A procedure was developed for preparing metallic 48Ca in a high yield. The starting 48CaCO3 was first calcined to 48CaO and then mixed with Al powder. The charge was fired at 1200–1300°C in a specially designed reactor. The vapor of the released 48Ca was condensed in the reactor zone cooled to room temperature. The process was monitored with 47Ca tracer. Much attention was given to recovery of expensive 48Ca from products of the aluminothermic process. The metallic 48Ca obtained was used for generating a beam of 48Ca5+ ions on an accelerator complex of FLNR JINR in experiments on synthesis of new superheavy elements.