Metal-organic cage sorbent for selective cesium capture
This technology describes a new type of molecular cage — a hollow, self-assembling structure built from aluminum atoms and organic linkers — that forms a precisely sized internal cavity about 3.7 angstroms across. That cavity is just the right size to selectively capture cesium ions, which the cage grabs in a one-to-one ratio. The cage is built through a relatively simple heat-and-solvent process and has been rigorously characterized through multiple analytical techniques. The selectivity for cesium, a heavy alkali metal, is the core scientific finding.
What you could build
A selective cesium-capture material or sorbent cartridge for nuclear waste processing facilities or contaminated water treatment systems; primary buyers would be nuclear utility operators, DOE national laboratories, and environmental remediation contractors.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia hosts DOE facilities, naval nuclear operations, and defense contractors with radiological waste management needs — all plausible early customers or development partners.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Amanda Morris, Stefan Ilic, Ann Marie May, Pavel Usov
- Filed
- Patent pending — filed September 30, 2024
- Status
- Application
- Publication number
- US20250223305A1
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.