Metal-organic frameworks for removal of xe and kr from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

Removal of xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr) from process off-gases containing 400 ppm Xe, 40 ppm Kr, 78% N(2), 21% O(2), 0.9% Ar, 0.03% CO(2), and so forth using adsorption was demonstrated for the first time. Two well-known metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), HKUST-1 and Ni/DOBDC, which both have unsaturated metal centers but different pore morphologies, were selected as novel adsorbents. Results of an activated carbon were also included for comparison. The Ni/DOBDC has higher Xe/Kr selectivities than those of the activated carbon and the HKUST-1. In addition, results show that the Ni/DOBDC and HKUST-1 can adsorb substantial amounts of Xe and Kr even when they are mixed in air. Moreover, the Ni/DOBDC can successfully separate 400 ppm Xe from 40 ppm Kr and air containing O(2), N(2), and CO(2) with a Xe/Ke selectivity of 7.3 as indicated by our breakthrough results. This shows a promising future for MOFs in radioactive nuclide separations from spent fuels.     

Photodissociation of formyl fluoride in rare gas matrixes

Photodissociation of formyl fluoride (HCOF) is studied in Ar, Kr, and Xe matrixes at 248 and 193 nm excitation by following spectral changes in the infrared absorption spectra. In all matrixes, the main photodissociation products are CO/HF species, including CO-HF and OC-HF complexes and thermally unstable CO/HF species (a distorted CO/HF complex or a reaction intermediate), which indicate negligible cage exit of atoms produced via the C-F and C-H bond cleavage channels. However, the observation of traces of H, F, CO, CO(2), F(2)CO, FCO, and HRg(2)(+) (Rg = Kr or Xe) in Kr and Xe matrixes would imply some importance of other reaction channels too. The analysis of the decay curves of the precursor shows that dissociation efficiency of HCOF increases as Ar < Kr < Xe, the difference being the factor of 10 between Ar and Xe. Moreover, HCOF dissociates 20-50 times faster at 193 nm compared to 248 nm. Interestingly, whereas the CO/HF species are stable with respect to photolysis in Ar, they photobleach in Kr and Xe matrixes at 248 and 193 nm, even though the first excited states of CO and HF are not energetically accessible with 193 and 248 nm photons. In krypton matrix, the photodissociation of CO/HF species at 248 nm is observed to be a single photon process. Quantum chemical calculations of electronic excitation energies of CO-HF and OC-HF complexes show that the electronic states of HF and CO mostly retain their diatomic nature in the pair. This clearly demonstrates that photodissociation of CO/HF complexes is promoted by the surrounding rare gas lattice.     

Electronic spectroscopy of I(2)-Xe complexes in solid Krypton

In the present work, we have studied ion-pair states of matrix-isolated I(2) with vacuum-UV absorption and UV-vis-NIR emission, where the matrix environment is systematically changed by mixing Kr with Xe, from pure Kr to a more polarizable Xe host. Particular emphasis is put on low doping levels of Xe that yield a binary complex I(2)-Xe, as verified by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) measurements. Associated with interaction of I(2) with Xe we can observe strong new absorption in vacuum-UV, redshifted 2400 cm(-1) from the X → D transition of I(2). Observed redshift can be explained by symmetry breaking of ion-pair states within the I(2)-Xe complex. Systematic Xe doping of Kr matrices shows that at low doping levels, positions of I(2) ion-pair emissions are not significantly affected by complexation with Xe, but simultaneous increase of emissions from doubly spin-excited states indicates non-radiative relaxation to valence states. At intermediate doping levels ion-pair emissions shift systematically to red due to change in the average polarizability of the environment. We have conducted spectrally resolved ultrafast pump-probe ion-pair emission studies with pure and Xe doped Kr matrices, in order to reveal the influence of Xe to I(2) dynamics in solid Kr. Strikingly, relaxed emission from the ion-pair states shows no indication of complex presence. It further indicates that the complex escapes detection due to a non-radiative relaxation.     

高灵敏度的脉冲氦离子化检测器分析混合气体中的Kr、Xe

使用高灵敏度的脉冲氦离子化检测器（PDHID）气相色谱法对Kr、Xe浓度进行定量分析,并通过采用反应床除去杂质气体或与Kr、Xe难以分离的干扰组分N2、CH4和CO等,可使最低检测限达到Kr为7．931×10^-8、Xe为7．186×10^-8．对Kr的测量相对偏差在2％以内,对Xe的测量相对偏差在6％以内．     

Observation of inner-shell triplet states of CO2 and N2O and of inner-shell fine structure in Kr and Xe

Inner-shell singlet-triplet transitions in CO₂ and N₂O have been observed by the electron energy-loss technique at low values of the incident electron energy, typically 1.4 times the excitation energies of the states. The same technique has been used to observe fine structure in transitions near the M_4.5 edges in Kr and the N_4.5 edges in Xe.     

A Microporous Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework Based on Hydrogen-Bonding Tetramers for Efficient Xe/Kr Separation

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) have been emerging as a new type of very promising microporous materials for gas separation and purification, but few HOFs structures constructed through hydrogen-bonding tetramers have been explored in this field. Herein, we report the first microporous HOF (termed as HOF-FJU-46) afforded by hydrogen-bonding tetramers with 4-fold interpenetrated diamond networks, which shows excellent chemical and thermal stability. What's more, activated HOF-FJU-46 exhibits the highest xenon (Xe) uptake of 2.51 mmol g⁻¹ and xenon/krypton (Kr) selectivity of 19.9 at the ambient condition among the reported HOFs up to date. Dynamic breakthrough tests confirmed the excellent Xe/Kr separation of HOF-FJU-46a, showing high Kr productivity (110 mL g⁻¹) and Xe uptake (1.29 mmol g⁻¹), as well as good recyclability. The single crystal X-ray diffraction and the molecular simulations revealed that the abundant accessible aromatic and pyrazole rings in the pore channels of HOF-FJU-46a can provide the multiple strong C−H⋅⋅⋅Xe interactions with Xe atoms.     

Noble gas-actinide compounds: evidence for the formation of distinct CUO(Ar)(4-n)(Xe)(n) and CUO(Ar)(4-n)(Kr)(n) (n = 1, 2, 3, 4) complexes

Laser-ablated U atoms react with CO in excess argon to produce CUO, which gives rise to 852.5 and 804.3 cm-1 infrared absorptions for the triplet state CUO(Ar)n complex in solid argon at 7 K. Relativistic density functional calculations show that the CUO(Ar) complex is stable and that up to four or five argon atoms can complex to CUO. When 1-3% Xe is added to the argon/CO reagent mixture, strong absorptions appear at 848.0 and 801.3 cm-1 and dominate new four-band progressions, which increase on annealing to 35-50 K as Xe replaces Ar in the intimate coordination sphere. Analogous spectra are obtained with 1-2% Kr added. This work provides evidence for eight distinct CUO(Ng)n(Ar)4-n (Ng = Kr, Xe, n = 1, 2, 3, 4) complexes and the first characterization of neutral complexes involving four noble-gas atoms on one metal center.     

IR spectra of CH3F in liquid and solid noble gas solutions

The IR absorption spectra of CH3F doped Ar, Kr and Xe solutions have been recorded near the melting point. The full widths at half maximum of fundamental bands increase noticeably after crystallization of the Xe and Kr solutions. A slight narrowing of the bands is observed just below the freezing point of the Ar solution. Treated in the framework of the Debye model for the J-diffusion of a symmetric top rotation, the results suggest a weaker perturbation of rotational motion of CH3F in the ordered Xe and Kr solids at least near the freezing point. At the same time, molecular rotation becomes more hindered when going to solid Ar. The broadening effect has been found to correlate with a hopping increase of the vibrational energy relaxation time, measured by the IR-IR double resonance method.     

The far from equilibrium structure of argon clusters doped with krypton or xenon

Heterogeneous clusters created by doping Ar host clusters with Kr or Xe are shown to have radically different structures from the mixed clusters of the same type created by co-expansion of Ar-Kr or Ar-Xe gas mixtures. In contrast to the co-expansion case, the doped mixed clusters can be produced with Kr or Xe on the surface and Ar in the bulk. With the doping technique it is thus possible to control the surface composition of a specific cluster. A study of the cluster properties as a function of the doping pressure is also reported for the case of Ar clusters doped with Xe. The clusters have been studied by means of synchrotron radiation based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Separation of Xe from Kr with Record Selectivity and Productivity in Anion-Pillared Ultramicroporous Materials by Inverse Size-Sieving

The separation of xenon/krypton (Xe/Kr) mixture is of great importance to industry, but the available porous materials allow the adsorption of both, Xe and Kr only with limited selectivity. Herein we report an anion-pillared ultramicroporous material NbOFFIVE-2-Cu-i (ZU-62) with finely tuned pore aperture size and structure flexibility, which for the first time enables an inverse size-sieving effect in separation along with record Xe/Kr selectivity and ultrahigh Xe capacity. Evidenced by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, the rotation of anions and pyridine rings upon contact of larger-size Xe atoms adapts cavities to the shape/size of Xe and allows strong host-Xe interaction, while the smaller-size Kr is excluded. Breakthrough experiments confirmed that ZU-62 has a real practical potential for producing high-purity Kr and Xe from air-separation byproducts, showing record Kr productivity (206 mL g⁻¹) and Xe productivity (42 mL g⁻¹, in desorption) as well as good recyclability.     

Infrared spectroscopy of SO2 clusters in rare gas matrices revisited: Assignment of species in Ar matrix

We have observed infrared spectra of the SO₂ clusters in rare gas matrices (Ar, Kr, Xe). The spectral dependence on temperature and concentration led us to the firm assignment of the SO₂ dimer in Kr and Xe, the result of which was used to reassign dimeric vibrational transitions in Ar that have been controversial for more than ten years.     

Separation of Xe from Kr with Record Selectivity and Productivity in Anion‐Pillared Ultramicroporous Materials by Inverse Size‐Sieving

The separation of xenon/krypton (Xe/Kr) mixture is of great importance to industry, but the available porous materials allow the adsorption of both, Xe and Kr only with limited selectivity. Herein we report an anion‐pillared ultramicroporous material NbOFFIVE‐2‐Cu‐i (ZU‐62) with finely tuned pore aperture size and structure flexibility, which for the first time enables an inverse size‐sieving effect in separation along with record Xe/Kr selectivity and ultrahigh Xe capacity. Evidenced by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, the rotation of anions and pyridine rings upon contact of larger‐size Xe atoms adapts cavities to the shape/size of Xe and allows strong host‐Xe interaction, while the smaller‐size Kr is excluded. Breakthrough experiments confirmed that ZU‐62 has a real practical potential for producing high‐purity Kr and Xe from air‐separation byproducts, showing record Kr productivity (206 mL g^?1) and Xe productivity (42 mL g^?1, in desorption) as well as good recyclability.     

Measuring polarizability anisotropies of rare gas diatomic molecules by laser-induced molecular alignment technique

The polarizability anisotropies of homonuclear rare gas diatomic molecules, Ar(2), Kr(2), and Xe(2), are investigated by utilizing the interaction of the induced electric dipole moment with a nonresonant, nanosecond laser pulse. The degree of alignment, which depends on the depth of the interaction potential created by the intense laser field, is measured, and is found to increase in order of Ar(2), Kr(2), and Xe(2) at the same peak intensity. Compared with a reference I(2) molecule, Ar(2), Kr(2), and Xe(2) are found to have the polarizability anisotropies of 0.45 ± 0.13, 0.72 ± 0.13, and 1.23 ± 0.21 A?(3), respectively, where the uncertainties (one standard deviation) in the polarizability anisotropies are carefully evaluated on the basis of the laser intensity dependence of the degree of alignment. The obtained values are compared with recent theoretical calculations and are found to agree well within the experimental uncertainties.     

Applications of gas chromatography and gamma spectrometry to fission gas measurements

A gas sampler with lead shield has been designed for transferring the grab gas sample taken from the sampling station of Taiwan nuclear power reactor. The methods involving gas chromatography and gamma spectrometry have been developed for the determination of fission gases. A gas chromatograph equipped with TCD was used for measurement of gas composition. Column requirements are identified and optimum operating conditions are discussed. A single analysis is completed within 25 minutes for all of the gas constitutents and 12 minutes for only Xe and Kr. The detection limit is 0.005 mm partial pressure for Kr and Xe and a precision of ±1% relative is achieved for all the sample constituents. Combined error determinations for the method denote an attainable accuracy of less than ±2% for constituents at a sample pressure above 10 mm. Mixing and dispensing of the radioactive gases were carried out in a special gas mixing line. In experiment, calibration factors for measurement of¹³³Xe and⁸⁵Kr in ampules are determined in an isotope calibrator and by Ge(Li) gamma ray spectrometry. The relative precisions of 0.14% and 0.5% are readily achieved for⁸⁵Kr and¹³³Xe, respectively. The calibration uncertainty in⁸⁵Kr measurement is 0.4%.     

Calculation of transport properties and intermolecular potential energy function of the binary mixtures of H2 with Ne,Ar, Kr and Xe by a semi-empirical inversion method

The present paper contains inspection of the improved corresponding states principle for transport properties of hydrogen and the binary mixtures of hydrogen with Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe. The set of corresponding states parameters has been defined by a complex numerical analysis of a carefully selected body of experimental data. The obtained correlations for the reduced orientation-averaged diffusion and viscosity collision integrals are restricted to low densities in a temperature range from T = ?/k to the onset of ionization. These equations have been inverted directly to give the isotropic and effective intermolecular potential energy curve for binary mixtures of H₂ with Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe corresponding to the viscosity collision integrals. The results are then used to obtain the best Morse-Spline-Van der Waals (MSV) potential parameters. Our inverted potential energies have been compared with experimental intermolecular potentials that were obtained by molecular beam scattering and infrared spectroscopic measurements. In this research, the Chapman–Enskog and Wang Chang-Uhlenbeck-de Boer (WCUB) version of kinetic theory have been used in conjunction with our inverted potential energies to reproduce viscosity, diffusion, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusion factor of binary mixtures of H₂ with Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe in a wide temperature range for equimolar composition. As the deviation plots illustrate, our obtained intermolecular potential energies (on the basis of the algorithm presented in the inversion process) represent the low-density transport properties of binary mixtures of H₂ with Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe within their expected experimental uncertainties. Close agreement between the predicted values and the literature results of transport properties demonstrates the predictive power of the inversion scheme.     

Theoretical studies of host-guest interaction in gas hydrates

Ab initio calculations and atoms-in-molecules (AIM) analysis have been used to investigate the host-guest interaction in dodecahedral water cages using a variety of guest species that include monatomic (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe), diatomic (CO, H(2), N(2), O(2), and NO), triatomic (CO(2), NO(2), and O(3)), and polyatomic (CH(4) and NH(3)) molecules. Geometry optimization for the guest species, host cage, and their complexes was carried out using the second order M?ller-Plesset perturbation method with the 6-31G** basis set. Single point energy calculations using the same method but different basis sets (6-31++G**, 6-311++G**, aug-cc-pVDZ, and aug-cc-pVTZ) were carried out for the MP2/6-31G** optimized geometries. The interaction energy between the guest species and the host cage has been obtained in the complete basis set limit by basis set extrapolation.     

Density functional studies of hydrogen-bonded systems: II. Solvation of the H2O–CO complex by a nonpolar solvent

A dielectric continuum approach (SCIPCM) in the framework of density functional theory has been applied to study the structures, energetics and vibrational spectra of hydrogen-bonded H₂O–CO and H₂O–OC complexes in a non-polar solvent. The dielectric constants for Ar (1.63), Kr (1.83) and Xe (2.19) were used in order to mimic the low-temperature matrix isolation experiments. We have found that calculations which include a dielectric reaction field around the complexes are able to reproduce the experimentally observed spectral changes. The correction of the calculated interaction energy for the basis set superposition error is discussed in the framework of the self-consistent reaction field approach.     

Introducing krypton NMR spectroscopy as a probe of void space in solids

A wealth of information about porous materials and their void spaces has been obtained from the chemical shift data in (129)Xe NMR spectroscopy during the past decades. In this contribution, the only NMR active, stable krypton isotope (83)Kr (spin I = (9)/(2)) is explored as a novel probe for porous materials. It is demonstrated that (83)Kr NMR spectroscopy of nanoporous or microporous materials is feasible and straightforward despite the low gyromagnetic ratio and low abundance of the (83)Kr isotope. The (83)Kr line width in most of the studied cases is quadrupolar dominated and field-strength independent. A significant exception was found in calcium-exchanged zeolites where the field dependence of the line width indicates a distribution of isotropic chemical shifts that may be caused by long-range disorder in the zeolite structure. The (83)Kr chemical shifts observed in the investigated materials display a somewhat different behavior than that of their (129)Xe counterparts and should provide a great resource for the verification or refinement of current (129)Xe chemical shift theory. In contrast to xenon, krypton with its smaller atomic radius has been demonstrated to easily penetrate the porous framework of NaA. Chemical shifts and line widths of (83)Kr are moderately dependent on small fluctuations in the krypton loading but differ strongly between some of the studied samples.     

Insertion of noble gas atoms into cyanoacetylene: an ab initio and matrix isolation study

A computational and experimental matrix isolation study of insertion of noble gas atoms into cyanoacetylene (HCCCN) is presented. Twelve novel noble gas insertion compounds are found to be kinetically stable at the MP2 level of theory, including four molecules with argon. The first group of the computationally studied molecules belongs to noble gas hydrides (HNgCCCN and HNgCCNC), and we found their stability for Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe. The HNgCCCN compounds with Kr and Xe have similar stability to that of previously reported HKrCN and HXeCN. The HArCCCN molecule seems to have a weaker H-Ar bond than in the previously identified HArF molecule. The HNgCCNC molecules are less stable than the HNgCCCN isomers for all noble gas atoms. The second group of the computational insertion compounds, HCCNgCN and HCCNgNC, are of a different type, and they also are kinetically stable for Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe. Our photolysis and annealing experiments with low-temperature cyanoacetylene/Ng (Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe) matrixes evidence the formation of two noble gas hydrides for Ng = Kr and Xe, with the strongest IR absorption bands at 1492.1 and 1624.5 cm(-1), and two additional absorption modes for each species are found. The computational spectra of HKrCCCN and HXeCCCN fit most closely the experimental data, which is the basis for our assignment. The obtained species absorb at quite similar frequencies as the known HKrCN and HXeCN molecules, which is in agreement with the theoretical predictions. No strong candidates for an Ar compound are observed in the IR absorption spectra. As an important side product of this work, the data obtained in long-term decay of KrHKr+ cations suggest a tentative assignment for the CCCN radical.     

Noble Gas in a Ring

We have designed a new type of molecule with a noble gas (Ng = Kr and Xe) atom in a six-membered ring. Their structures and stability have been studied by density functional theory and by correlated electronic structure calculations. The results showed that the six-membered ring is planar with very short Ng–O and Ng–N polar covalent bonds. The calculated energy barriers for all the unimolecular dissociation pathways are higher than 20 and 35 kcal/mol for Ng = Kr and Xe, respectively. The current study suggests that these molecules and their derivatives might be synthesized and observable at cryogenic conditions.