The commercial method for producing ²²Na involves bombarding an aluminum target with a proton beam.  This thesis presents a technique for separating ²²Na from such an aluminum target, and putting it into a solution which can later be deposited and dried for use as a source.  This separation technique was developed and refined by melting small pieces of aluminum containing trace amounts of radioactive sodium.  Detailed descriptions of the testing apparatus, detector configuration, and data acquisition ana analysis are given herein.  

  It was found that sodium was released readily from molten aluminum.  Graphite and monel were found to be the materials of choice in the construction of the apparatus.  The combination of a high temperature (1050C) and melting the aluminum for an extended period of time (4 hours) was most effective in removing the sodium from the aluminum and depositing it on a surface from which it could be recovered.  

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