Methods of capturing and immobilizing radioactive nuclei with metal fluorite-based inorganic materials
View Patent ↗Methods of capturing and immobilizing radioactive nuclei with metal fluorite-based inorganic materials are described. For example, a method of capturing and immobilizing radioactive nuclei includes flowing a gas stream through an exhaust apparatus. The exhaust apparatus includes a metal fluorite-based inorganic material. The gas stream includes a radioactive species. The radioactive species is removed from the gas stream by adsorbing the radioactive species to the metal fluorite-based inorganic material of the exhaust apparatus.
1. A method of synthesizing a metal fluorite-based inorganic material, the method comprising:
charging a reaction vessel with a solution comprising an aluminum precursor and a fluorine precursor;
adding a precipitating agent to the solution comprising the aluminum precursor and the fluorine precursor; and
isolating an aluminum (Al)-rich fluorite precipitate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the reaction vessel with the solution comprising the aluminum precursor and the fluorine precursor comprises charging the reaction vessel with aluminum trichloride (AlCl 3 ) and trifluoracetic acid or a derivative thereof.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein charging the reaction vessel with AlCl 3 and the trifluoracetic acid or the derivative thereof further comprises using a water/ethanol solution.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the reaction vessel with the solution comprising the aluminum precursor and the fluorine precursor comprises using an aluminum:fluorine molar ratio of approximately 1:1 or 1:3.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the precipitating agent comprises adding polyethylene oxide.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to adding the precipitating agent, adding a block co-polymer to the reaction vessel as a structure template.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein isolating the Al-rich fluorite precipitate comprises thermalizing to remove the block co-polymer from the precipitate.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein isolating the Al-rich fluorite precipitate comprises:
collecting the Al-rich fluorite precipitate on a filter; and, subsequently,
washing the Al-rich fluorite precipitate with deionized water; and, subsequently,
heating the Al-rich fluorite precipitate.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein heating the Al-rich fluorite precipitate dehydrates the Al-rich fluorite precipitate.
10. A nanoporous material, comprising:
a metal fluorite-based inorganic compound having a surface area greater than approximately 1 square meter per gram (m 2 /g).
11. The nanoporous material of claim 10 , wherein the metal fluorite-based inorganic compound is an aluminum (Al)-rich fluorite species.
12. The nanoporous material of claim 10 , wherein the surface area is greater than approximately 5 square meters per gram (m 2 /g).
13. The nanoporous material of claim 10 , wherein the surface area is approximately in the range of 5-100 square meters per gram (m 2 /g).