Author
Listed:
- Hanzhou Liu
(Soochow University)
- Qian Yang
(Soochow University)
- Ni Luan
(Soochow University)
- Lixi Chen
(Soochow University)
- Shuya Zhang
(Soochow University)
- Xing Dai
(Soochow University)
- Aiping Jin
(LCCNNP Nuclear Power Operations Management Co. Ltd)
- Tianping Wang
(Soochow University)
- Jie Shu
(Soochow University)
- Nannan Shen
(Soochow University)
- Jian Xu
(Soochow University)
- Jia Li
(Soochow University)
- Linwei He
(Soochow University)
- Zhihong Xu
(Suzhou Sicui Institute of Isotope Technology)
- Gen Zhang
(Nanjing University of Science and Technology)
- Cheng Gu
(Sichuan University)
- Hao Yang
(C Force Co. Ltd)
- Jianyu Chai
(C Force Co. Ltd)
- Liang Mao
(Nanjing University)
- Shikai Guo
(China National Nuclear Industry Corporation, 404)
- Kaiming Liu
(China National Nuclear Industry Corporation, 404)
- Peng Lin
(China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd)
- Xiajie Liu
(China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd)
- Xiaoping Ouyang
(Xiangtan University)
- Yuelong Pan
(China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd)
- Xueling Zhang
(China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd)
- Zhifang Chai
(Soochow University)
- Shuao Wang
(Soochow University)
Abstract
Tritiated water emissions from nuclear facilities pose significant environmental risks and threaten the sustainability of nuclear energy. However, deep detritiation remains a major challenge due to the nearly indistinguishable physicochemical properties among water isotopologues. Here we present an efficient hydrogen isotope separation process based on catalytic proton exchange. The unique catalysis-promoted proton-transfer pathway found in a metal–organic framework (MIL-101(Cr)) significantly lowers the isotope exchange energy barrier to a previously unachieved level. Incorporating MIL-101(Cr) into a water distillation (WD) system enables a solid–liquid–gas triphasic mass transfer that overcomes the thermodynamic constraints of traditional WD, which relies on a liquid–gas biphasic isotope exchange. The height equivalent to the theoretical plate of the established WD prototype fell by half compared to the existing WD systems, thus increasing the separation efficiency by over four orders of magnitude in a 10-m distillation tower. This work offers an industrially viable and scalable option for cleaning up tritiated water.
Suggested Citation
Hanzhou Liu & Qian Yang & Ni Luan & Lixi Chen & Shuya Zhang & Xing Dai & Aiping Jin & Tianping Wang & Jie Shu & Nannan Shen & Jian Xu & Jia Li & Linwei He & Zhihong Xu & Gen Zhang & Cheng Gu & Hao Yan, 2025.
"Catalytic proton exchange in water distillation for efficient tritiated water clean-up,"
Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 8(5), pages 553-561, May.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:natsus:v:8:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1038_s41893-025-01537-5
DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01537-5
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