Syllabus
Introduction, historical overview Basic principles - nucleus, radioactivity, atom stability, nuclear fission, nuclear reactions
Radionuclide production - particle accelerators (ion sources, single-path accelerators, Van den Graaf, cyclotrons, synchrotrons, neutron sources), production yield, processing Important radionuclides - medicine (131In,67Ga, 131,123I, 18F, 11C, 15O), nuclear energy (238,235U, 239Pu), nuclear fusion (H, D, T)
Introduction to nuclear energy - nuclear power plants (types), construction materials (concrete, steel, nuclear fuel, cooling water)
Nuclear fuel cycle - uranium mining and processing, uranium chemistry (salts, oxides), nuclear fuel, reprocessing
High-temperature chemistry (severe accidents) in nuclear power plants - phase diagrams (multicomponent) of nuclear materials, fuel degradation and reactor active-zone melting, leakage and chemistry of fission products.
Chemistry of radioactive elements - Uranium, Thorium, Radium, Radon, Polonium, Transuranium elements
Introduction to nuclear medicine, labeling of organic molecules for radiodiagnostics, radiopharmaceuticals - production, selectivity, biodistribution, targeting
Nuclear imaging techniques: Positron emission tomography (PET), Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), Radiotherapy - principles, most common isotopes, half-lives, ligand types
Annotation
The course is aimed at the most important application of temporary nuclear chemistry.
The first part shows chemical aspects of nuclear energy sources – uranium mining and processing, types of nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel processing, applied materials.
The second part brings overview of medical applications of nuclear chemistry in radiotherapy and imaging techniques PET and SPECT – properties and production of important radionuclides, fundamental aspects of medical application.