Porous ZIF-8@polyacrylonitrile composite beads for iodine capture

Green conversion of waste alkaline battery material to zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 and its iodine capture mechanism

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) exhibits excellent performance in capturing iodine. However, the solvent-based procedures and raw materials for ZIF-8 synthesis often lead to secondary pollution. We developed a solvent-minimizing method for preparing ZIF-8 via ball milling of raw material obtained from spent alkaline batteries, and studied its iodine-capture performance and structural changes. Exposure of the ZIF-8 to iodine vapor for 60 min demonstrated that it exhibited industrially competitive iodine-capture performance (the adsorbed amount reaches to 1123 mg g-1 within 60 min). Spectroscopic studies showed that ZIF-8 underwent a structural transformation upon iodine loading. Iodine molecules were adsorbed onto the surface of ZIF-8 and also formed C-I bond with the methyl groups on the imidazole rings, reducing iodine release. This work represents a comprehensive revelation of long-range order and short-range order evolution of ZIF-8 during iodine vapor adsorption over time. Moreover, this green synthesis of ZIF-8 is of lower cost and generates fewer harmful by-products than existing methods, and the produced ZIF-8 effectively entraps toxic iodine vapor. Thus, this synthesis enables a sustainable and circular material flow for beneficial utilization of waste materials.

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs): Advanced nanostructured materials to enhance the functional performance of food packaging materials

Zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF) materials are a class of metallic organic framework (MOF) materials that have several potential applications in the food and other industries. They consist of metal ions or clusters of metal ions coordinated with imidazole-based organic linkers, creating a three-dimensional solid structure with well-defined pores and channels. ZIFs possess several important features, including high porosity, tunable pore sizes, high surface areas, adjustable surface chemistries, and good stabilities. These characteristics make them highly versatile materials that can be used in a variety of applications, including smart and active food packaging. Based on their controllable compositions, dimensions, and pore sizes, the properties of ZIFs can be tailored for a diverse range of applications, including energy storage, sensing, separation, encapsulation, and catalysis. In this article, we focus on recent progress and potential applications of ZIFs in food packaging materials. Previous studies have shown that ZIFs can significantly improve the optical, mechanical, barrier, thermal, sustainability, and preservative properties of packaging materials. Moreover, ZIFs can be used as carriers to encapsulate, protect, and control the release of bioactive agents in packaging materials. ZIFs are capable of selectively adsorbing and releasing molecules based on their size, shape, and surface properties. These unique characteristics make them particularly suitable for smart or active food packaging applications. By selectively removing gases (such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, or ethylene) ZIFs can improve the shelf life and quality of packaged foods. In addition, they can be employed to control the growth of spoilage microorganisms and minimize oxidation reactions, thereby enhancing the freshness and extending the shelf life of foods. They may also be used to create sensors capable of detecting and indicating food spoilage. For instance, ZIFs that change color or release specific compounds when spoilage products are present can provide visual or chemical indications of food deterioration. This feature is especially valuable in ensuring the safety and quality of packaged food, as it enables consumers and retailers to easily identify spoiled products. ZIFs can be functionalized using various additives, including antioxidants, antimicrobials, pigments, and flavors, which can improve the preservative and sensory properties of packaged foods. Moreover, ZIF-based packaging materials offer sustainability benefits. Unlike traditional plastic packaging, ZIFs are biodegradable and can easily be disposed of without causing harm to the environment, thereby reducing the adverse effects of plastic waste materials. The application of ZIFs in smart/active food packaging offers exciting possibilities for enhancing the shelf life, quality, and safety of foods. With further research and development, ZIF-based packaging could become a sustainable alternative to plastic-based packaging in the food industry. An important aim of this review article is to stimulate further research on the development and application of ZIFs within food packaging materials.

Fabrication of Polysulfone Beads Containing Covalent Organic Polymer as a Versatile Platform for Efficient Iodine Capture

Radioactive iodine poses a significant risk to human health, particularly with regard to reproductive and metabolic functions. Designing and developing highly efficient adsorbent materials for radioactive substances remain a significant challenge. This study aimed to address this issue by the fabricating polymeric beads containing covalent organic polymer (COP) as an effective method for removing iodine vapor. To achieve this, a COP was first synthesized via the Friedel-Crafts reaction catalyzed by anhydrous aluminum chloride. Then, COP-loaded polysulfone (PSf) (COP@PSf) and PSf beads were prepared using a phase separation method. The beads produced in this research have exhibited remarkable proficiency in adsorbing iodine vapor, showing an adsorption capacity of up to 216 wt % within just 420 min, which is higher than that of most other similar beads reported in the literature.

Tröger's Base-Enriched Conjugated Cyclopentannulated Copolymers: Prominent Adsorbents of CO2, H2, and Iodine

Three copolymers with conjugated structures, PTB1-PTB3, were produced utilizing a palladium-catalyzed cyclopentannulation polymerization by reacting a specially designed diethynyl Tröger's base surrogate with different dihalogenated polycondensed aromatic hydrocarbons. Brunauer, Emmet, and Teller nitrogen gas adsorption investigation revealed the surface areas of the copolymers, attaining ∼365 m2 g-1. Gas uptake studies demonstrated a considerable carbon dioxide uptake for PTB2 of 44.41 mg g-1 at 273 K and a promising H2 gas uptake of 3.18 mg g-1 at 77 K. PTB1-PTB3 displayed a sizable iodine adsorption capacity, achieving 4000 mg g-1, and mechanistic investigations demonstrated the prevalence of a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Recyclability experiments proved the effective regeneration of the copolymers, even after performing several adsorption and desorption tests.

Enhanced Iodine Capture Using a Postsynthetically Modified Thione-Silver Zeolitic Imidazole Framework

Efficient management of radionuclides that are released from various processes in the nuclear fuel cycle is of significant importance. Among these nuclides, radioactive iodine (mainly 129I and 131I) is a major concern due to the risk it poses to the environment and to human health; thus, the development of materials that can capture and safely store radioactive iodine is crucial. Herein, a novel silver-thione-functionalized zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF) was synthesized via postsynthetic modification and assessed for its iodine uptake capabilities alongside the parent ZIF-8 and intermediate materials. A solvent-assisted ligand exchange procedure was used to replace the 2-methylimidazole linkers in ZIF-8 with 2-mercaptoimidazole, forming intermediate compound ZIF-8 = S, which was reacted with AgNO3 to yield the ZIF-8 = S-Ag+ composite for iodine uptake. Despite possessing the lowest BET surface area of the derivatives, the Ag-functionalized material demonstrated superior I2 adsorption in terms of both maximum capacity (550 g I2/mol) and rapid kinetics (50% loading achieved in 5 h, saturation in 50 h) compared to that of our pristine ZIF-8, which reached 450 g I2/mol after 150 h and 50% loading in 25 h. This improvement is attributed to the presence of the Ag+ ions, which provide a strong chemical driving force to form a stable Ag-I species. The results of this study contribute to a broader understanding of the strategies that can be employed to engineer adsorbents with robust iodine uptake behavior.

Efficient removal of cationic dye using ZIF-8 based sodium alginate composite beads: Performance evaluation in batch and column systems

The environmental and health risks associated with dye contamination in water sources are alarming. Recently, researchers have been focusing on developing an innovative and susceptible solution using composite beads that effectively combat this issue. In this paper, beads were synthesized using a sodium alginate (SA) and zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) through a simple dipping process. Several characterization tests were performed including XRD, FTIR, BET, TGA, and SEM-EDX. The SEM images confirmed that SA effectively coated the cubical structure of the ZIF-8, ensuring optimal performance. The efficiency of the resulting SA@ZIF-8 composite beads was tested on both synthetic malachite green dye and real industrial wastewater samples using batch and fixed bed column reactors. The findings revealed that maximum adsorption of 95.5% was achieved at pH 6 in 120 min of reaction time. FTIR and SEM analysis also confirmed the adsorption of MG dye onto the beads. The Freundlich isotherm model (R2 > 0.99) has a better fit than the Langmuir (R2 > 0.96) for describing the adsorption process. The PSO model predicted the kinetics of the system, whereas the intraparticle diffusion study supported the system's mechanistic analysis. Furthermore, the study also investigated the efficacy of the beads in treating real wastewater effluent samples collected from the dye industry. Overall, using sodium alginate-coated ZIF-8 beads was found to have many advantages over powdered ZIF-8, including higher selectivity, stability, reusability, and practicality, making them a promising alternative for adsorption applications. Therefore, these composite beads have the potential for the removal of the dye from wastewater, which could be widely applied in various industries.

Iodine and Nickel Ions Adsorption by Conjugated Copolymers Bearing Repeating Units of Dicyclopentapyrenyl and Various Thiophene Derivatives

The synthesis of three conjugated copolymers TPP1-3 was carried out using a palladium-catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition polymerization of 1,6-dibromopyrene with various dialkynyl thiophene derivatives 3a-c. The target copolymers were obtained in excellent yields and high purity, as confirmed by instrumental analyses. TPP1-3 were found to divulge a conspicuous iodine adsorption capacity up to 3900 mg g-1, whereas the adsorption mechanism studies revealed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Furthermore, recyclability tests of TPP3, the copolymer which revealed the maximum iodine uptake, disclosed its efficient regeneration even after numerous adsorption-desorption cycles. Interestingly, the target copolymers proved promising nickel ions capture efficiencies from water with a maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity (qe) of 48.5 mg g-1.

Iodine‐Chemisorption, Interpenetration and Polycatenation: Cationic MOFs and CPs from Group 13 Metal Halides and Di‐Pyridyl‐Linkers

Eight cationic, two‐dimensional metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized in reactions of the group 13 metal halides AlBr₃, AlI₃, GaBr₃, InBr₃ and InI₃ with the dipyridyl ligands 1,2‐di(4‐pyridyl)ethylene (bpe), 1,2‐di(4‐pyridyl)ethane (bpa) and 4,4’‐bipyridine (bipy). Seven of them follow the general formula ²_∞[MX₂(L)₂]A, M=Al, In, X=Br, I, A⁻=[MX₄]⁻, I⁻, I₃⁻, L=bipy, bpa, bpe. Thereby, the porosity of the cationic frameworks can be utilized to take up the heavy molecule iodine in gas‐phase chemisorption vital for the capture of iodine radioisotopes. This is achieved by switching between I⁻ and the polyiodide I₃⁻ in the cavities at room temperature, including single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformation. The MOFs are 2D networks that exhibit (4,4)‐topology in general or (6,3)‐topology for ²_∞[(GaBr₂)₂(bpa)₅][GaBr₄]₂⋅bpa. The two‐dimensional networks can either be arranged to an inclined interpenetration of the cationic two‐dimensional networks, or to stacked networks without interpenetration. Interpenetration is accompanied by polycatenation. Due to the cationic character, the MOFs require the counter ions [MX₄]⁻, I⁻ or I₃⁻ counter ions in their pores. Whereas the [MX₄]⁻, ions are immobile, iodide allows for chemisorption. Furthermore, eight additional coordination polymers and complexes were identified and isolated that elaborate the reaction space of the herein reported syntheses.