Ionic Functionalization of Multivariate Covalent Organic Frameworks to Achieve an Exceptionally High Iodine-Capture Capacity

Adsorption-based iodine (I-2) capture has great potential for the treatment of radioactive nuclear waste. In this study, we apply a multivariate synthetic strategy to construct ionic covalent organic frameworks (iCOFs) with a large surface area, high pore volume, and abundant binding sites for I-2 capture. The optimized material iCOF-AB-50 exhibits a static I-2 uptake capacity of 10.21 g g(-1) at 75 degrees C and a dynamic uptake capacity of 2.79 g g(-1) at approximate to 400 ppm I-2 and 25 degrees C, far exceeding the performances of previously reported adsorbents under similar conditions. iCOF-AB-50 also exhibits fast adsorption kinetics, good moisture tolerance, and full reusability. The promoting effect of ionic groups on I-2 adsorption has been elucidated by experimentally identifying the iodine species adsorbed at different sites and calculating their binding energies. This work demonstrates the essential role of balancing the textural properties and binding sites of the adsorbent in achieving a high I-2 capture performance.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the development of a high-performance adsorbent iCOF-AB-50 for the capture of iodine (I-2) in radioactive nuclear waste treatment. The research highlights the importance of balancing textural properties and binding sites of adsorbents to achieve optimal I-2 capture performance.