Capture of Radioactive Cesium and Iodide Ions from Water by Using Titanate Nanofibers and Nanotubes

Going down the tubes: The rapid uptake of 137Cs+ ions in sodium trititanate nanofibers (T3NF; see picture) and nanotubes (T3NT) triggers a phase transition or deformation of the thin titanate layers. Ag2O nanocrystals (5–10 nm) were bound to the surface of the nanostructures and efficiently captured I− anions (ca. 4.5 mmol per gram of sorbent) from aqueous solutions by forming an AgI precipitate on the titanates.