Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The increasing global demand for sustainable and efficient energy sources has driven the need for alternative nuclear fuels. Thorium has emerged as a promising source due to its abundance, energy efficiency, and lower radiotoxic waste generation compared to uranium. However, the selective extraction of thorium from rare-earth elements and uranium remains a challenge. In this study, a pyrosulfate-functionalized fluoro-bridged holmium metal–organic framework (PS-MOF) was synthesized and characterized for the selective exchange of thorium. The hydrolysis of the pyrosulfate results in metal-bound sulfate ions. The coordination and hydrolysis of the pyrosulfate groups to sulfate were followed by Raman spectroscopy. PS-MOF exhibited selectivity for Th(IV), with a distribution coefficient (K d ) of 1.2 × 10 5 mL g –1 and a cation exchange capacity of 145.6 mg g –1 . Kinetic studies revealed that Th(IV) adsorption reached equilibrium within 20 min following a pseudo-second-order model which indicates a chemisorption-controlled process. The PS-MOF retained its crystallinity and adsorption performance over multiple cycles. The Th(IV) can be completely recovered using nitric acid.
Sheybani et al. (Thu,) studied this question.