Photon-Activation Analysis for Zirconium with Molybdenum Used as the Internal-Reference Element

Abstract

A method for the determination of zirconium has been studied by activation analysis with bremsstrahlung photons, with molybdenum used as the internal-reference element. This method is based on the γ-ray spectrometric measurement of the 89Zr activity produced by the 90Zr(γ,n) reaction and on the comparison of this activity with the 88Zr activity formed by the (γ,α) reaction on molybdenum. The reaction products and their rates of production in zirconium and in molybdenum have also been examined as functions of bremsstrahlung maximum energies up to 60 MeV, and the best conditions for the determination of zirconium are proposed. When the maximum energy was set at 20 MeV, no interfering reactions occurred; under the present experimental conditions, a zirconium content down to about 18 μg can be determined accurately. The reliability and the versatility of this method are demonstrated.