Ping Mao

With the popularization of nuclear energy in the field of energy application, the effective removal of radioactive iodine isotopes is crucial for the long-term development of nuclear energy. In this paper, bimetallic MOFs with different Cu/Bi ratios were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method, and a bimetallic nano-adsorbent Cu_x/Bi_10−x-NC was prepared by one-step calcination. Adsorption experiments show that Cu_x/Bi_10−x-NC exhibits excellent adsorption performance for iodide ions, gaseous iodine, and I₂ in cyclohexane solution, with the maximum adsorption capacities reaching up to 484.08 and 233.11 mg g⁻¹, respectively. Through the characterization of the material system before and after adsorption, this excellent adsorption performance is attributed to the synergistic effect between Cu and Bi, as well as the highly dispersed adsorption active sites derived from the MOF template. Therefore, the prepared Cu_x/Bi_10−x-NC has great potential in the efficient and stable capture of various forms of iodine.

In this study, MnO₂/zeolite composites (MnO₂@Z4As) were synthesized via a one-pot self-assembly reaction using low-cost kaolinite minerals as the starting material. The successful embedding of MnO₂ nanoparticles within the zeolite matrix was confirmed through structural characterization. The highest capacity for Sr²⁺ adsorption was observed for MnO₂@Z4A-9 at 177.49 mg/g, representing a 39.96% increase compared to zeolite 4A (Z4A) alone. The process displayed characteristics consistent with the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic behavior, indicating that the adsorption was monolayer chemisorption. However, competing ions, such as Ca²⁺ and Na⁺, significantly hindered Sr²⁺ adsorption. In seawater, MnO₂@Z4A-9 removed 98.4% of Sr²⁺ at a 10 g/L dosage. The dual adsorption mechanism of Sr²⁺ adsorption on MnO₂@Z4As has been elucidated, comprising ion exchange with Na⁺ in the zeolite and the hydroxyl complexation with MnO₂. This study offers a cost-effective strategy for Sr²⁺ removal from seawater.

With the advancement of industrialization and urbanization, the arbitrary emission of sewage containing TC-tetracycline and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) possesses a serious threat to both ecological–environment and public health. However, developing a low-toxicity and cost-effective photocatalyst for the simultaneous elimination of these two pollutants remains a formidable task. This study devised a photocatalytic sample (CSMX-X) comprised of Copper(I) sulfide (Cu₂S) and Titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂) through a simple solvothermal method and applied it to remove TC-tetracycline and Cr(VI). The CSMX-X not only increases the specific surface area from 2.7 m²·g⁻¹ for pure Cu₂S to 30.65 m²·g⁻¹, but also effectively addresses the problems of insufficient separation efficiency of photogenerated holes and electrons and low carrier density. The photocatalytic efficiency for an individual pollutant (10 mg·L⁻¹ Cr(VI) or 20 mg·L⁻¹ TC-tetracycline) can reach more than 90%, while the removal efficiency for mixed Cr(VI) and TC-tetracycline pollutants only decreases by 12%. Meanwhile, copper leaching levels under different pH conditions (0.032–0.676 mg·L⁻¹) are considerably lower than the 2 mg·L⁻¹ safety standard set by the World Health Organization. This study provides valuable perspectives for constructing Cu₂S-based composite photocatalysts to remove multiple contaminants in real aquatic environments.

Liquid scintillator detectors have great advantages in the field of radionuclide detection because of their low detection limit, high sensitivity, and diverse functions. However, the material properties of liquid scintillators directly determine their detection effectiveness, which leads to their poor vertex resolution and particle identification. In this work, we introduce the improvement methods, choices, and properties of different novel liquid scintillator materials in recent years. This article is expected to provide references for the development and research of liquid scintillator materials in various application fields.

The importance of iodine to industry and humans cannot be overemphasized. It plays a crucial role in human metabolic processes. It is widely used for various applications in medicine, material sciences, environmental, and engineering sciences. During the deployment of nuclear technology, there is release of radioiodine in the environment through processes such as reprocessing of nuclear fuel and accidents. Thus, to safeguard the applications of iodine and prevent the leakage of radioiodine into the environment, the capturing and storage of radioiodine is very critical. In our work, ultrahigh radioiodine adsorption capacities of 454 wt.% and 1508mgg-1 were achieved for iodine vapor and iodine in cyclohexane solution respectively; using Zinc oxide and nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon (ZnO@NCs), which has a surface area of 1983 m2g-1 synthesized by ultra-sonication of ZIF-8 precursor. These ultrahigh adsorption capacities could be the result of large pore volume of the pores and area of the surface; as well as the electron donor groups such as OH- and O2-, which generated charge transfer between iodine and the adsorbent. The adsorption fits the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models. This large surface area, ultrahigh adsorption capacity, easy preparation, and good regeneration is indicative of ZnO@NCs as a promising radioiodine adsorbent.