This
study evaluated zeolite-based sorbents for iodine gas [I2(g)] capture. Based on the framework structures and porosities,
five zeolites, including two faujasite (FAU), one ZSM-5 (MFI), one
mesoMFI, one ZSM-22 (TON), as well as two mesoporous materials, were
evaluated for I2(g) capture at room temperature and 150
°C in an iodine-saturated environment. From these preliminary
studies, the three best-performing zeolites were ion-exchanged with
Ag+ and evaluated for I2(g) capture under similar
conditions. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data suggest that
Ag-FAU frameworks were the materials with the highest capacity for
I2(g) in this study, showing ∼3× higher adsorption
compared to Ag-mordenite (Ag-MOR) at room temperature, but X-ray diffraction
measurements show that the faujasite structure collapsed during the
adsorption studies because of dealumination. The Ag-MFI zeolites are
decent sorbents in real-life applications, showing both good sorption
capacities and higher stability. In-depth analyses and characterizations,
including synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, revealed the
influence of structural and chemical properties of zeolites on the
performance for iodine adsorption from the gas phase.