The Permeator Against Vacuum (PAV) is one of the proposed technologies for the Tritium Extraction System of the WCLL BB (Water-Cooled Lithium-Lead Breeding Blanket) of the EU DEMO reactor. In this paper, the manufacturing of the first PAV mock-up with a niobium membrane with a cylindrical configuration is presented. This work aimed to demonstrate the possibility of manufacturing a relevant-size PAV to be later tested in the TRIEX-II facility. The adopted prototypical solutions are described in detail, starting with the methodology developed to join the Nb tubes with a 10CrMo9-10 (A182 F22) plate. Dedicated manufacturing and welding procedures, based on vacuum brazing with a nickel-based brazing alloy, were developed to solve the problem. This new kind of brazing was first analyzed to check the morphology of the joint and then tested to check its capability to withstand the TRIEX-II operative conditions. In parallel, the compatibility with a lithium-lead environment was analyzed by exposing samples of niobium and 10CrMo9-10 (A335 P22) to a flow of the eutectic alloy at 500 °C up to 4000 h. Finally, the PAV mock-up was installed in the TRIEX-II facility.

^99mTc-based radiopharmaceuticals are the most commonly used medical radioactive tracers in nuclear medicine for diagnostic imaging. Due to the expected global shortage of ⁹⁹Mo, the parent radionuclide from which ^99mTc is produced, new production methods should be developed. The SORGENTINA-RF (SRF) project aims at developing a prototypical medium-intensity D-T 14-MeV fusion neutron source specifically designed for production of medical radioisotopes with a focus on ⁹⁹Mo. The scope of this work was to develop an efficient, cost-effective and green procedure for dissolution of solid molybdenum in hydrogen peroxide solutions compatible for ^99mTc production via the SRF neutron source. The dissolution process was extensively studied for two different target geometries: pellets and powder. The first showed better characteristics and properties for the dissolution procedure, and up to 100 g of pellets were successfully dissolved in 250–280 min. The dissolution mechanism on the pellets was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. After the procedure, sodium molybdate crystals were characterized via X-ray diffraction, Raman and infrared spectroscopy and the high purity of the compound was established by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The study confirmed the feasibility of the procedure for production of ^99mTc in SRF as it is very cost-effective, with minimal consumption of peroxide and controlled low temperature.

Na₂MoO₄ and Na₂WO₄ are isostructural semiconductors, belonging to the spinel class. They have interesting properties and find applications in numerous sectors. These properties can be tuned by controlling the composition of their solid solutions. Here, different methods to obtain these compounds are presented, both wet and solid-state synthesis. The obtained results show a possible dependence of the material properties on the chosen synthesis method. The pure compounds and their mixtures were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction.

Hydrogels represent a versatile class of materials with remarkable potential as three-dimensional matrices for nanoparticle integration. This study explores the mechanism of silver nanoparticle formation within a polyacrylamide–alginate hybrid hydrogel, employing a controlled reduction–oxidation reaction between silver nitrate (AgNO₃) and sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) across a temperature gradient (5–70 °C). Characterization techniques, including Raman, infrared, and UV-Vis spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, were employed to analyze the structural and optical properties of the nanoparticles and the hydrogel. The results show that, as the temperature rose, nanoparticle numbers decreased, while their size increased. Consistently octahedral in shape and averaging 100–120 nm, these nanoparticles revealed a temperature-dependent growth pattern, with rare larger crystals emerging more frequently at higher temperatures. The findings highlight the potential of hybrid hydrogels as effective matrices for the incorporation of metal nanoparticles, paving the way for applications in drug delivery, biosensing, and antimicrobial treatments.

Hydrogel films receive significant attention among researchers because they combine increased stimuli responsiveness and faster responses to the already excellent properties of their component materials. However, their preparation is complex and requires that many difficulties are overcome. The present work presents a new study regarding the preparation of pure and nanoparticle-loaded alginate-based films by spin-coating. Two-microliter solutions of sodium alginate and calcium chloride with different concentrations were deposited on a glass substrate and subjected to rapid rotations of between 100 and 1000 RPM. Film formation can be achieved by optimizing the ratio between the viscosity of the solutions, depending on their concentrations and the rotation speed. When these conditions are in the right range, a homogeneous film is obtained, showing good adherence to the substrate and uniform thickness. Films containing silver nanoparticles were prepared, exploiting the reaction between sodium borohydride and silver nitrate. The two reagents were added to the sodium alginate and calcium nitrate solution, respectively. Their concentration is the driving force for the formation of a uniform film: particles of about 50 nm that are well-dispersed throughout the film are obtained using AgNO₃ at 4 mM and NaBH₄ at 2 or 0.2 mM; meanwhile, at higher concentrations, one can also obtain the precipitation of inorganic crystals.