Volume 20, Issue 18 2308451
Research Article

Hollow Core–Shell Bismuth Based Al-Doped Silica Materials for Powerful Co-Sequestration of Radioactive I2 and CH3I

Zhenjiang Tian

Zhenjiang Tian

College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Yuxun Hao

Yuxun Hao

College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Tien-Shee Chee

Tien-Shee Chee

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141 South Korea

Search for more papers by this author
He Cai

He Cai

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, 176 Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9QQ UK

Search for more papers by this author
Lin Zhu

Lin Zhu

School of National Defense Science & Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010 P. R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Tao Duan

Tao Duan

School of National Defense Science & Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010 P. R. China

Search for more papers by this author
Chengliang Xiao

Corresponding Author

Chengliang Xiao

College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 P. R. China

E-mail: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 07 December 2023
Citations: 2

Abstract

Developing pure inorganic materials capable of efficiently co-removing radioactive I2 and CH3I has always been a major challenge. Bismuth-based materials (BBMs) have garnered considerable attention due to their impressive I2 sorption capacity at high-temperature and cost-effectiveness. However, solely relying on bismuth components falls short in effectively removing CH3I and has not been systematically studied. Herein, a series of hollow mesoporous core–shell bifunctional materials with adjustable shell thickness and Si/Al ratio by using silica-coated Bi2O3 as a hard template and through simple alkaline-etching and CTAB-assisted surface coassembly methods (Bi@Al/SiO2) is successfully synthesized. By meticulously controlling the thickness of the shell layer and precisely tuning of the Si/Al ratio composition, the synthesis of BBMs capable of co-removing radioactive I2 and CH3I for the first time, demonstrating remarkable sorption capacities of 533.1 and 421.5 mg g−1, respectively is achieved. Both experimental and theoretical calculations indicate that the incorporation of acid sites within the shell layer is a key factor in achieving effective CH3I sorption. This innovative structural design of sorbent enables exceptional co-removal capabilities for both I2 and CH3I. Furthermore, the core–shell structure enhances the retention of captured iodine within the sorbents, which may further prevent potential leakage.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.