Application of MnO₂-coated discs in the case of the measurement of ²²⁶Ra with alpha-spectrometric method

Abstract

Among the naturally occurring isotopes the determination of radium is the most difficult ones. In this work some alpha-spectrometric source preparation methods to determine radium were measured. The aim of our work was to investigate the feasibility of MnO₂-coated discs for radium detection with a semi-conductor PIPS detector. This method based on the sorption of radium onto MnO₂-coated surfaces. Parameters of this method were measured, and efforts were made to solve the incidental problems. In the case of using polyamide discs for base material, the executed experiments were showed that it might be applied to detection of ²²⁶Ra, however the resolution was weak. It can be caused by the surface roughness and by the width of the MnO₂ coat. In the consecutive investigates we have these parameters changed. Whereas the surface roughness of MnO₂ cannot be changed more, smooth surfaces could produce in another way, so there were took several surfaces into account, like stainless-steel, nickel, copper and chrome plate. Regarding our results - in the case of optimal width of MnO₂ coat - using MnO₂-coated discs is a simple and effective source preparation method in radium measurement.