Ultra-efficient deuterium separation under ambient conditions by a crystalline porous organic framework-Pd nanoparticle hybrid

For the hydrogen isotopes of protium, deuterium, and tritium, separation of deuterium gas (D2) from the mixture is of critical importance. High-purity D2 can be utilized for nonradioactive isotope tracking, neutron scattering, and nuclear fusion. Current approaches for D2 separation with Pd membranes and quantum sieving-based nanoporous materials are performed at high (673 K) and ultralow (30 K) temperatures, respectively, both of which consume significant amounts of energy and exhibit low separation efficiency. Thus, efficient D2 separation under ambient conditions remains a challenge. In this study, high-purity D2 is efficiently extracted from an isotopic mixture under ambient conditions by spatial confinement between Pd nanoparticles and a crystalline porous organic framework (CPOF-1) skeleton. This study provides a novel concept for deuterium separation with low energy consumption, low cost, and high efficiency, and it will be of great significance for practical applications.