Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Metallic Carbon with Record High Radon Gas Capture Performance

Developing efficient adsorbents for radon (Rn) capture from the ambient environment is of paramount importance for public health. However, it poses a great challenge due to the chemical inertness and extremely low molar concentration of Rn in air. Herein, we report a zeolite imidazolate framework derived metallic carbon adsorbent (Zn@NPC) with record high Rn removal performance under ambient conditions. Upon one-step pyrolysis, the prepared Zn@NPC possesses pores with a preference for Rn and atomically dispersed Zn sites, achieving a high Rn removal efficiency that doubles in adsorption coefficient (9.47 L center dot g-1) and triples in adsorption kinetic coefficient (20.25 mL center dot g-1 center dot min-1) over the benchmark Rn adsorbent coconut activated charcoal. Density functional theory calculations elucidate the important role of the metal polarization effect, which cooperates with the pore size confinement effect to boost the overall Rn adsorption performance. This work launches a promising alternative for practical Rn capture.