Production Line of Key Nuclear Compound Opens
- TEHRAN – The production line of iridium hexafluoride (IrF6) –a compound used in the separation of Ir191 isotopes and enrichment processes- came into operation at the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) of Isfahan in central Iran on Saturday.
The production line of IrF6 was unveiled by head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Muhammad Eslami at the UCF of Isfahan.
Iridium hexafluoride is a compound of iridium and fluorine that is necessary for the isotopic separation of Ir191 and enrichment activities.
IrF6 compound has various applications, such as in brachytherapy -a type of internal radiation therapy where radioactive sources are placed directly into or near the tumor-, low-dose medical radiography, production of radioactive sources utilized in the oil and gas industries, non-destructive testing (NDT), and radiobiology researches.
Iran is now among the few countries with the technical know-how to produce IrF6 and can export the product.