The electric collection of radioactive ions of bromine, technetium and indium

Abstract
Experiments have been made on neutron-irradiated ethyl bromide in order to investigate the rate of accumulation of ions of 80 Br and 80 Br* due to an electric field between aluminium window electrodes. The results showed that the majority of the radioactive ions carried a negative charge; when these had been swept away, positive ions of 80 Br produced by the isomeric transition from 80 Br* were quite stable. In addition, an electric field of a few hundred volts per centimetre completely inhibited the recombination of these positive ions to form the parent molecule. Using an ether solution of molybdenum chloride, the 6 h metastable state of 99 Tc* has been concentrated on a negatively charged nickel electrode from its equilibrium state with the 67 h parent 99 Mo, a β -emitting isotope. The electrical extraction, as a positive ion, of the 105 min isomer 113 In* produced by K -capture decay from 113 Sn has been achieved in an atmosphere of SnCl 4 vapour at a pressure of 12 mm Hg. The significance of these results in forming a picture of the chemical reactions induced by nuclear events is discussed; in particular, it appears that in all the cases studied, the initial product of the nuclear event is a positively charged radioactive ion.

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