New activation cross section data on longer lived radio-nuclei produced in proton induced nuclear reaction on zirconium

The excitation functions of 96Nb, 95mNb, 95gNb, 92mNb, 91mNb, 90Nb, 95Zr, 89Zr, 88Zr, 86Zr, 88Y, 87mY, 87gY, 86Y were measured up to 70MeV proton energy by using the stacked foil technique and the activation method. The new data were compared with the critically analyzed experimental data in the literature and with the TALYS based model results in TENDL-2013 library. The possible role of the investigated reactions in the production of medically relevant 90Nb, 95mNb, 89Zr, and 88Y radionuclides is discussed. •Proton induced reactions on natural zirconium up to 65MeV.•Stacked foil irradiation technique coupled with gamma-spectrometry.•Comparison of experimental data with the nuclear reaction model results in the TENDL-2013 library.•Calculation and comparison of thick target integral yields.•Comparison of the production routes of 90Nb, 95mNb, 89Zr and 88Y medically relevant radioisotopes.