A novel Cu nanoporous aerogel for high-efficient immobilization of iodide in water

The effective capture and storage of the generated radioactive contaminant (iodine) are of great significance with the extensive use of nuclear energy. In this work, a novel Cu nanoporous aerogel (Cu-NPA) was prepared by using inorganic Cu salt as precursors. The as-prepared Cu-NPA was fully characterized in detail, and the I2 adsorption and stability capability of Cu-NPA has been investigated in the solution. The results showed that Cu-NPA has high specific surface area and porosity. The structure of hierarchical pores is conducive to the rapid enrichment of pollutants in water. Adsorption experiments showed that Cu-NPA had ultra-high I2 adsorption capacity (1384 mg/g) and fast equilibrium adsorption time (10 min). The I2 in the solution (c < 1200 mg/g) can be almost completely removed. In addition, Cu-NPA exhibits good stability in the air and can be exposed to air for a long time. In general, our work demonstrated the preparation of Cu-NPA and its great potential in the field of rapidly eliminating radioactive I2.