New measurements of excitation functions of 186W(p,x) nuclear reactions up to 65Â MeV. Production of a 178W/178mTa generator

New experimental excitation functions for proton induced reactions on natW are presented in the 32-65 MeV energy range. The cross-sections for natW(p,xn)186,184m,184g,183, 182m,182g,181Re, natW(p,x)178W, natW(p,x)183,182, 180m, 177,176,175Ta, 175Hf and 177Lu were measured via an activation method by using a stacked-foil irradiation technique and high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy. The results were compared with predicted values obtained with the nuclear reaction code TALYS (results taken from the TENDL 2014 and TENDL 2015 on-line libraries). Production routes of the medically relevant radionuclides 186Re, the 178W → 178Ta generator and 181W are discussed.