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Radioisotope generators



What is the exprience of members of the list with the use of the
radioisotope generators?

We began using the REDCO Minigenerators (purchased from "the Nucleus")
many years ago. They were great even though they eventually "plugged" up
and we could no longer "milk" them for the Ba-137 isotope.

Since the Ba-137 half-life is about 2.5 min, it was very convenient to
measure a real half-life within one lab period.

A new model was marketed in the late '80s or early '90s which is supposed
to produce the same results but operates differently mechanically.

We have been unhappy with the performance of the new model. Maybe we have
just not used them properly, but we would like to about others'
experiences.

Is there an alternative (determine a real radioactive half-life in one
labe period) for those of us who do not have reactors or accelerators
handy and do not want the hassles of state and federal licensing
requirements?

Oxford Instruments, Inc., Nuclear Measurements Group (Oak Ridge, TN)
bought up (or otherwise consumed) the Nucleus and markets the new model as
the M-2 Isogenerator. It sells for $150 which seems pretty high.

bob

*********************************************************
* bob muir voice: (910) 334-5669 *
* physics & astron. e-mail: bob_muir@uncg.edu *
* unc greensboro *
* greensboro, nc 27412 http://www.uncg.edu/~muirrob *
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