Selection of chemical forms of iodine for transmutation of 129I

Abstract To select suitable chemical forms of iodine for the target for transmutation of 129 I, the properties of iodine compounds of NaI, MgI 2 , CaI 2 , CuI and Ca(IO 3 ) 2 were compared and the out-of-reactor heating experiments of the pellets of CuI and Ca(IO 3 ) 2 with the cladding materials were carried out. CuI and Ca(IO 3 ) 2 are not deliquescent but stable in the air, which is of great advantage to construction, operation and maintenance of the processing plants. The cladding with Cu metal liner could be compatible with CuI though the compatibility of the stainless steel with CuI is not good. Ca(IO 3 ) 2 should be deleted from the list of the candidate target materials for the transmutation of 129 I due to the severe chemical reaction with the cladding materials.