A hydroxy containing, naphthalene-based and imine linked porous organic polymer for rapid iodine uptake

Nuclear energy is turning out to be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels in order to meet the global electricity demand. Radioactive iodine is a volatile and hazardous component that may be present in aqueous nuclear waste and off-gas streams of a spent fuel processing plant. Iodine species are also quite mobile and their accidental leakage into the environment can adversely affect the health of animals and humans to an alarming extent. Thus, design and development of materials capable of capturing/storing iodine effectively for a long time, is of utmost importance in contemporary research. Herein, facile synthesis of a unique nitrogen rich and thermally stable porous organic polymer (POP_DH) is described that has a porous structure comprising of both micro and mesopores. The POP_DH has a specific surface area (128.3 m2 g-1), and can capture 2.855 g g−1 of iodine (vapours) at 75 °C. The POP_DH can retain the trapped iodine up to seven days without any significant release which makes it a suitable material suitable for storing iodine. The presence of O and N heteroatoms (imine linkages) also enable POP_DH to remove iodine species dissolved in water. Herein, the iodine removal is quite rapid with about 99 % of iodine captured within 2 h. POP_DH samples can be recycled up to five rounds for iodine capture with only small changes in performance as an adsorbent. Overall, POP_DH is promising material for capture of radioactive iodine from various media.