New articles published: V. 14 n. 3 (2026)

Isotopic Enrichment of Lithium-6 for Thermoluminescent Dosimeter Application

Abstract: Extracted from the mineral spodumene, the element lithium naturally has two stable isotopes: ⁷Li (approximately 92.6%) and ⁶Li (approximately 7.4%). These isotopes have a variety of applications, from the pharmaceutical industry to electrochemistry. Due to its high efficiency and environmental benefits, global production of electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries reached 10.5 million vehicles in 2022. In the nuclear field, ⁷Li is widely used in reactors at the Angra dos Reis Nuclear Power Plant in Brazil as pH stabilizer on primary coolant. On the other hand, ⁶Li, with its high cross sections for absorption of thermal neutrons, is used in the thermonuclear field and for the production of tritium in fusion reactors. In addition, ⁶Li is used in thermoluminescent dosimeters due to its thermoluminescent properties, making it effective for measuring ionizing radiation. This work aims to present a new technology for lithium enrichment in Brazil, focusing on the isotopic separation of ⁶Li and ⁷Li for their respective industrial applications, seeking Brazilian independence regarding the acquisition of this enriched isotope. The ion exchange technique, involving isotope separation by equilibrium isotopic fractionation between two phases, is highlighted as a method to achieve this goal. pH and electrical conductivity were measured in the samples to correlate with Li concentration. The results of the isotopic analysis showed an enrichment of 10.12% for ⁶Li and 95.86% for ⁷Li.  Read full article.