A Novel Cu Nanoporous Aerogel for High-efficient Immobilization of Iodide in Water

•Cu nanoporous aerogel (Cu-NPA) was synthesized for iodide removal from water.•Cu-NPA showed good antioxidant properties.•The adsorption capacity could reach as high as 1384 mg/g.•The I2 (1200 mg/L) could be almost completely removed within 10 min. The effective capture and storage of the generated radioactive contaminant (iodine) are of great significance with the extensive use of nuclear energy. In this work, a novel Cu nanoporous aerogel (Cu-NPA) was prepared by using inorganic Cu salt as precursors. The as-prepared Cu-NPA was fully characterized in detail, and the I2 adsorption and stability capability of Cu-NPA has been investigated in the solution. The results showed that Cu-NPA has high specific surface area and porosity. The structure of hierarchical pores is conducive to the rapid enrichment of pollutants in water. Adsorption experiments showed that Cu-NPA had ultra-high I2 adsorption capacity (1384 mg/g) and fast equilibrium adsorption time (10 min). The I2 in the solution (c