RRI.CO.ID, Tangerang - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) continues to promote the development of nuclear fuel technology based on local resources. One such effort is being carried out by Ade Saputra, a researcher at the BRIN Research Center for Nuclear Materials and Radioactive Waste Technology, and his team, who are developing an innovative adsorbent material for uranium purification.

In a press statement received by RRI VOI from BRIN on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Ade stated that Indonesia has significant potential for nuclear raw materials, one of which comes from monazite sand—a waste product from tin mining. However, the main challenge lies in separating uranium and thorium mixed with rare earth metals.

He stated that this research development will not only solve the problem of radioactive waste but also nuclear fuel. "If this separation is successful, we will not only solve the problem of radioactive waste but also obtain clean rare earth metals and nuclear fuel from domestic sources," he said.

According to him, the ever-increasing energy demand and Indonesia's commitment to net-zero emissions position nuclear energy as a strategic option. In this context, mastery of upstream technology, particularly fuel purification, is key.

The research conducted by Ade and his team is part of an effort to address this challenge. It focuses not only on technical aspects but also on process efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The main innovation of this research is the development of sulfonated Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) as adsorbent materials. COFs are known as crystalline materials with high stability against extreme conditions, such as high acidity and radiation.

This material was specifically designed to increase selectivity toward uranium. Using this approach, the team successfully produced COF-SO₃H, capable of adsorbing uranium at high capacity, even in highly acidic solutions, resembling the actual conditions of monazite sand processing.