Special Isotope Services

The Isotope Chemistry and Isotope Research Materials Laboratory at ORNL offers a wide variety of special custom-order isotope forms and services to complement its isotope offerings.

Stable Isotope Services

Inorganic compound synthesis and metallurgical, ceramic, and high-vacuum processing methods are available to process stable isotopes into the desired chemical or physical forms to meet customer needs which may be different from the forms listed in the catalog.

Pyrochemical conversion techniques (reduction/distillation) to convert rare earth and Group IIA element oxides to high purity metal.

Arcmelting and alloying to prepare metal ingots and to recycle materials, such as foil trimmings and scrap, for further processing. Hot and cold rolling to produce metal foils from the mm to micron range thickness.

Preparation of cold-rolled foils from air-reactive metals in micron range thickness.

Wire rolling and swagging processes to prepare metal rods and wires for a variety of applications.

Metal and ceramic powder consolidation techniques using cold pressing or cold pressing and sintering to prepare materials. Hot pressing equipment is available also.

Vanadium-encapsulated neutron dosimeters are prepared by sealing very accurately, known quantities of well-characterized, enriched stable isotopes or natural elements into small, vanadium capsules for use in making in-core neutron flux measurements.

High vacuum evaporation using resistance, radio frequency or electron beam heating techniques is available to prepare thin films and coatings from enriched or natural stable metals, oxides and other compounds.

Ion beam and plasma sputtering equipment is available to produce thin films and coatings from stable, enriched or natural metals or compounds.

Crystal bar reduction methods for the preparation of Si, Ti, Zr, and Hf metals are in progress.

Stable Targets

Custom targets for cyclotrons and accelerators can be fabricated to customer specifications.

Radioactive Isotope Services

Radioisotope services are available at:

1. Brookhaven National Laboratory;
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory; and
3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Target Irradiations

Targets can be irradiated at:

1. Brookhaven National Laboratory;
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory; and
3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Irradiated targets can be supplied to the customer without additional processing being performed.

Hot Cell Lease

Hot cells term leases are available for long term or daily rental at:

1. Brookhaven National Laboratory;
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory; and
3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Customers may apply qualified hot cell techniques or utilize highly skilled laboratory personnel for a specific hourly rate.

Other Facilities

Radioisotope laboratory services are available for rental and include such activities as assay activities chemical analysis, glove boxes use, etc.

For more details on these services, please contact the IBO at isotopes@ornl.gov

and by mail or phone at

Isotope Business Office
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
1 Bethel Valley Rd
Bldg. 5700, Room R111
MS-6158
Oak Ridge, TN 37830-6158
Phone: (865) 574-6984
Fax: (865) 574-6986