MS24: Natural and enriched Gadolinium convertors possibilities and market strategy

Jun 14, 2016
Work package: Work Package 4: Innovation of Key Neutronic Technologies: Detectors and Moderators

This milestone has been achieved. ESS has additional strict requirements regarding manufacturing tolerances and light testing of thin foils of natural Gd to exclude the presence of little holes. Together with industry partner Goodfellow, ESS has studied the melting of small amounts of Gd powder to produce small ingots. From these small ingots foils of enriched Gd will be produced. In tests with natural Gd powder, which has very similar properties to the enriched Gd powder, Goodfellow managed to produce a 150 mm x 200 mm large natural Gd foil of 10 um thickness from a 5 g ingot. Enriched 157 Gd powder is obtained from the Swedish industry partner Buyisotope.com.