New material traps gases from nuclear fuel better and uses
less energy than currently available options
When nuclear fuel gets recycled, the process releases
radioactive krypton and xenon gases. Naturally occurring uranium in rock
contaminates basements with the related gas radon. A new porous material called
CC3 effectively traps these gases, and research appearing July 20 in Nature
Materials shows how: by breathing enough to let the gases in but not out.