New measurements of excitation functions of 186W(p,x) nuclear reactions up to 65 MeV. Production of 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)186,184,183,182m,182g,181Re, naW(p,x)178W, natW(p,x)183,182,180m,177,176,175Ta, 175Hf, 177Lu were measured via an activation method by using a stacked-foil irradiation technique and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The results were compared with predicted values obtained with the nuclear reaction model code TALYS (results taken from TENDL-2014 and TENDL-2015 on-line library). Production routes of the medically relevant radionuclides 186Re, 178W 178Ta and 181W are discussed.