Hydrogen, the lightest element, is in high demand for its potential in sustainable energy. A team from Leipzig University and TU Dresden, part of the Hydrogen Isotopes 1,2,3H Research Training Group, has achieved a breakthrough in efficiently providing and separating hydrogen isotopes. The team's research, published in Chemical Science, focuses on the isotopes protium, deuterium, and tritium. Deuterium is important in pharmaceutical development, while a deuterium-tritium mixture is used in nuclear fusion. Current isotope separation processes are energy-intensive and inefficient. The team's work on porous metal-organic frameworks aims to purify isotopes at room temperature, overcoming the challenge of low-temperature separation. By studying the influence of framework atoms on binding selectivity, the researchers aim to optimize materials for high selectivity at room temperature. The Research Training Group, funded by the German Research Foundation, trains doctoral researchers to develop materials and detection methods in the field of hydrogen isotopes for sustainable technologies.