Radioactive iodine capture in silver-containing mordenites through nanoscale silver iodide formation.
The effective capture and storage of radiological iodine ({sup 129}I) remains a strong concern for safe nuclear waste storage and safe nuclear energy. Silver-containing mordenite (MOR) is a longstanding benchmark for iodine capture; however, the molecular level understanding of this process needed to develop more effective iodine getters has remained elusive. Here we probe the structure and distribution of iodine sorbed by silver-containing MOR using differential pair distribution function analysis. While iodine is distributed between {gamma}-AgI nanoparticles on the zeolite surface and subnanometer {alpha}-AgI clusters within the pores for reduced silver MOR, in the case of unreduced silver-exchanged MOR, iodine is exclusively confined to the pores as subnanometer {alpha}-AgI. Consequently, unreduced silver-containing zeolites may offer a more secure route for radioactive iodine capture, with the potential to more effectively trap the iodine for long-term storage.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- SC; NNSA
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 983470
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/XSD/JA-67093
- Journal Information:
- J. Am. Chem. Soc., Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc. Journal Issue: 26 ; 2010 Vol. 132; ISSN 0002-7863; ISSN 1520-5126
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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