Synthesis and structural investigations of gel metal oxide composites WO₃-ZrO₂, WO₃-TiO₂, WO₃-ZrO₂-SiO₂, and their evaluation as materials for the preparation of ¹⁸⁸W/¹⁸⁸Re generator.

The gel composites of WO3–ZrO2, WO3–TiO2, WO3–ZrO2-SiO2 at different molar ratios of oxides were synthesized. The elution profiles of the generator columns packed with gel samples activated at the Polish nuclear research reactor MARIA were studied. The best results of elution were found for WO3–ZrO2 and WO3–TiO2 both at 1:2M ratio annealed at 500°C and 650°C, respectively. Their structure determined with X-ray and neutron diffraction is completely amorphous with spherical grains of ∼23nm diameter. The efficiency of 188W/188Re generators with WO3–ZrO2 gel of natural isotope composition as well as enriched in 186W were investigated.