Depleted zinc oxide

Depleted zinc oxide (DZO) is a zinc oxide depleted in the zinc isotope with the atomic mass 64, and used in corrosion prevention in nuclear pressurized water reactors.

The depletion of ⁶⁴Zn is necessary, because this isotope is transformed into ⁶⁵Zn by neutron capture. ⁶⁵Zn with a half-life of 244.26 days emits gamma radiation with 1.115 MeV.^{[1] 64}Zn has a natural abundance of 48.6%, but in DZO it is reduced below 1%. The addition of zinc oxide to the primary water loop of a pressurized water nuclear reactor reduces the corrosion and therefore minimizes the amount of dissolved materials, especially the amount of ⁶⁰Co.

The isotope separation of zinc is done by gas centrifugation of diethylzinc.

References

• Cowan, R. L. (2001). "BWR water chemistry—a delicate balance". Nuclear Energy 40 (4): 245–252. doi:10.1680/nuen.40.4.245.39338. 

1. ^ Roost, E.; Funck, E.; Spernol, A.; Vaninbroukx, R. (1972). "The decay of 65Zn". Zeitschrift für Physik 250 (5): 395. Bibcode 1972ZPhy..250..395D. doi:10.1007/BF01379752. 

External links

• "Depleted Zinc Isotopes". tracesciences.com. http://www.tracesciences.com/depletedzincisotopes.html. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 

• "Depleted Zinc for the Nuclear Industry". Nukem. http://www.nukem.de/fileadmin/pdf/english/DepletedZinc.pdf. Retrieved 2008-12-13.