Hollow Bismuth-Based Nanoreactor with Ultrathin Disordered Mesoporous Silica Shell for Superior Radioactive Iodine Decontamination
Zhenjiang Tian, Tien‐Shee Chee, Yuxun Hao, Kang Kang, Xiaofan Yang, Chengliang Xiao
Abstract
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The effective removal of radioactive iodine under harsh high-temperature conditions, akin to those encountered in real spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, remains a formidable challenge. Herein, a novel bismuth-based mesoporous silica nanoreactor with a distinctive hollow yolk–shell structure was successfully synthesized by using silica-coated Bi 2 O 3 as a hard template and alkaline organic ammonia for etching (Bi@HMS-1, HMS = hollow mesoporous silica). In contrast to conventional inorganic alkali-assisted methods with organic template agents, our approach yielded a material with thinner and more disordered shell layers, along with a relatively smaller pore volume. This led to a significant reduction in the physisorption of Bi@HMS-1 onto iodine while maintaining a smooth passage of guest iodine molecules into and out of the shell channels. Consequently, the resulting sorbent exhibited an outstanding iodine sorption capacity at high temperatures, achieving a chemisorption percentage as high as 96.5%, which makes it extremely competitive among the currently reported sorbents.