Dissolution-Recrystallization: A Novel Mechanism for Fluorochromic Detection of Th4+ Using Color-Tunable Luminescent Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Thorium, a predominant actinide in the Earth's crust, presents significant environmental and health risks due to its radioactive nature. These risks are particularly pronounced during the mining and processing of monazite for rare earth elements (REEs), which contain substantial thorium concentrations. Current instrumental analysis methods for thorium, offer high accuracy but require laborious sample preparation and expensive instruments, making them unsuitable for on-site analysis. Herein, we present a class of color-tunable luminescent lanthanide-based metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) as fluorochromic sensors for Th4+ cations. Utilizing a heterobimetallic Eu3+/Tb3+ doping strategy, the luminescence colors of EuxTb1-x-BDC-OH can be finely tuned from red, to orange, and to green. More intriguingly, the higher Lewis acidity of Th4+ facilitates the transformation of EuxTb1-x-BDC-OH into a UiO-type Th-MOF via a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism. This process results in a gradual reduction of characteristic Ln3+ emissions and the emergence of blue color ligand-based fluorescence, thereby leading to selective fluorochromic responses with increasing Th4+ concentrations and enabling visible detection of Th4+ cations. Additionally, a custom-built portable optoelectronic device was fabricated, which directly converts luminescence colors into red-green-blue (RGB) values. This device enables easy quantification of Th4+ concentrations without the need for complex instrumentation.

Stepwise Crystallization of Millimeter Scale Thorium Cluster Single Crystals as a Bifunctional Platform for X-ray Detection and Shielding.

Monitoring and shielding of X-ray radiation are of paramount importance across diverse fields. However, they are frequently realized in separate protocols and a single material integrating both functions remained elusive. Herein, a hexanuclear cluster [Th6 (µ3 -OH)4 (µ3 -O)4 (H2 O)6 ](pba)6 (HCOO)6 (Th-pba-0D) incorporating high-Z thorium cations and 3-(pyridin-4-yl)benzoate ligands that can function as a brand-new dual-module platform for visible detection and efficient shielding of ionizing radiation is demonstrated. Th-pba-0D exhibits rather unique reversible radiochromism upon alternating X-ray and UV irradiation. Moreover, the millimeter scale crystal size of Th-pba-0D renders the penetration depth of X-ray visible to naked eye and leads to the unearthing of its high X-ray attenuation efficiency. Indeed, the shielding efficacy of Th-pba-0D is comparable to that of lead glass containing 40% PbO, and a Th-pba-0D pellet with a thickness of merely 1.2 mm can shield 99.73% X-ray (16 keV). These studies portend the possible utilization of thorium-bearing materials as a bifunctional platform for radiation detection and shielding.

Photochromic Uranyl-Based Coordination Polymer for Quantitative and On-Site Detection of UV Radiation Dose.

A highly sensitive detection of ultraviolet (UV) radiation is required in a broad range of scientific research, chemical industries, and health-related applications. Traditional UV photodetectors fabricated by direct wide-band-gap inorganic semiconductors often suffer from several disadvantages such as complicated manufacturing procedures, requiring multiple operations and high-cost instruments to obtain a readout. Searching for new materials or simple strategies to develop UV dosimeters for quantitative, accurate, and on-site detection of UV radiation dose is still highly desirable. Herein, a photochromic uranyl-based coordination polymer [(UO2)(PBPCA)·DMF]·DMF (PBPCA = pyridine-3,5-bis(phenyl-4-carboxylate), DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide, denoted as SXU-1) with highly radiolytic and chemical stabilities was successfully synthesized via the solvothermal method at 100 °C. Surprisingly, the fresh samples of SXU-1 underwent an ultra-fast UV-induced (365 nm, 2 mW) color variation from yellow to orange in less than 1 s, and then the color changed further from orange to brick red after the subsequent irradiation, inspiring us to develop a colorimetric dosimeter based on red-green-blue (RGB) parameters. The mechanism of radical-induced photochromism was intensively investigated by UV-vis absorption spectra, EPR analysis, and SC-XRD data. Furthermore, SXU-1 was incorporated into an optoelectronic device to fabricate a novel dosimeter for convenient, quantitative, and on-site detection of UV radiation dose.

A New Concept of Radiation Detection Based on a Fluorochromic and Piezochromic Nanocluster.

Developing materials that possess colorimetric responses to external stimuli is a promising strategy for addressing the current challenges in radiation dosimetry. Currently, colorimetric ionizing-radiation-responsive materials remain underexplored, and those with multistimuli response are rare. Herein, the integration of thorium cation and photoresponsive terpyridine carboxylate ligand gives rise to a thorium nanocluster, Th-101, which displays the second case of fluorochromic response and unprecedented piezochromic behavior among all actinide materials. The emission color of Th-101 exhibits a gradual transition from blue to cyan to green upon irradiation with accumulated dose, which renders colorimetric dosimetry of ionizing radiation based on a red-green-blue (RGB) concept. Further fabricating Th-101 into a custom-built optoelectronic device allows for on-site quantification of radiation dose with merits of ease of operation, rapid readout, and cost-effectiveness.

Fine-Tuning X-Ray Sensitivity in Organic-Inorganic Hybrids via an Unprecedented Mixed-Ligand Strategy.

Crystalline organic-inorganic hybrids, which exhibit colorimetric responses to ionizing radiation, have recently been recognized as promising alternatives to conventional X-ray dosimeters. However, X-ray-responsive organic-inorganic hybrids are scarce and the strategy to fine-tune their detection sensitivity remains elusive. Herein, an unprecedented mixed-ligand strategy is reported to modulate the X-ray detection efficacy of organic-inorganic hybrids. Deliberately blending the stimuli-responsive terpyridine carboxylate ligand (tpc- ) and the auxiliary pba- group with different ratios gives rise to two OD thorium-bearing clusters (Th-102 and Th-103) and a 1D coordination polymer (Th-104). Notably, distinct X-ray sensitivity is evident as a function of molar ratio of the tpc- ligand, following the trend of Th-102 > Th-103 > Th-104. Moreover, Th-102, which is exclusively built from the tpc- ligands with the highest degree of π-π interactions, exhibits the most sensitive radiochromic and fluorochromic responses toward X-ray with the lowest detection limit of 1.5 mGy. The study anticipates that this mixed-ligand strategy will be a versatile approach to tune the X-ray sensing efficacy of organic-inorganic hybrids.

A ratiometric radio-photoluminescence dosimeter based on a radical excimer for X-ray detection.

A novel radio-photoluminescence material featuring fluorochromic responses toward UV or X-ray irradiation has been obtained. Such a unique monomer- to excimer-based luminescence transition allows for dosimetry of ionizing radiation in a ratiometric manner. Rather than quenching the luminescence, the radiation-induced radical species of Th-105 boost the excimer emission, rendering it as a rare material possessing radical-excimers.

Regeneration and utilization of graphite from the spent lithium-ion batteries by modified low-temperature sulfuric acid roasting.

Recycling spent graphite in spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is crucial for lacking high-quality graphite and environmental protection. Here, an environmentally friendly and economical modified method based on sulfate roasting was proposed to recycle spent graphite via low temperature roasting at 250 °C with sodium fluoride as an assistant additive. Recycling leads to graphite with a high purity of 99.55 % and chemical structures for energy storage. Batteries manufactured in regenerated graphite deliver a high initial charge capacity of 333.9 mAh/g with an initial columbic efficiency of 85.71% and excellent capacity retention of 91.2% after 400 cycles. In addition, the waste produced in the method could be well treated, and by-products 177 g of sodium sulfate would be collected per 1 kg spent graphite and NaF, equivalent to 78.95% of the added amount obtained through wastewater and exhaust gas, respectively. The regenerated sodium fluoride will be re-applied to the recovery spent graphite. The loop-closed method shows great promise for the industrial-scale recycling of spent graphite for energy storage applications.