Metal-Organic Frameworks for Precise Separation of Radionuclides: Our Journey and Perspective

Abstract

Comprehensive Summary

The efficient separation of radionuclides is essential for sustainable nuclear energy and nuclear environmental safety. Conventional adsorbents exhibit limited selectivity and removal efficiency due to the lack of specific recognition sites for target radionuclides. Over the past decade, our group has developed a series of metal-organic framework (MOF)-based adsorbents based on the principle of “precise recognition of radionuclides”. For cationic radionuclides, we engineered geometrically matched binding sites for chelation, electrostatic interactions, and photocatalytic reduction. For anionic radionuclides characterized by poor coordination and high mobility, relatively hydrophobic MOFs were constructed that exploit ion exchange and hydrogen bonding. For gaseous radionuclides, heavy atoms or reactive sites and kinetically favorable diffusion pathways were introduced to achieve precise recognition and efficient removal within the confined spaces of MOFs. This review mainly summarizes the progress in radionuclide remediation based on these strategies.

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