Boosting uranium extraction from Seawater by micro-redox reactors anchored in a seaweed-like adsorbent

Yinshan Zhang, Yingcai Wang (), Zhimin Dong, Youqun Wang, Yuhui Liu, Xiaohong Cao, Zhibin Zhang (), Chao Xu (), Ning Wang and Yunhai Liu ()
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Yinshan Zhang: East China University of Technology
Yingcai Wang: East China University of Technology
Zhimin Dong: East China University of Technology
Youqun Wang: East China University of Technology
Yuhui Liu: East China University of Technology
Xiaohong Cao: East China University of Technology
Zhibin Zhang: East China University of Technology
Chao Xu: Tsinghua University
Ning Wang: State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea Hainan University
Yunhai Liu: East China University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Efficient extraction of uranium from seawater is expected to provide virtually infinite fuel sources to power nuclear reactors and thus enable sustainable development of nuclear energy. The extraction efficiency for uranium greatly depends on the availability of active adsorption sites on the adsorbents. Maximization of the utilization rate of the binding sites in the adsorbent is vital for improving adsorption capacity. Herein, micro-redox reactors functioned by Cu(I)/Cu(II) conversion are constructed internally in an adsorbent bearing both amidoxime and carboxyl groups to induce active regeneration of the inactivated binding sites to enhance uranium capture. This adsorbent has high adsorption capacity (962.40 mg-U/g-Ads), superior anti-fouling ability as well as excellent uranium uptake (14.62 mg-U/g-Ads) in natural seawater after 56 days, placing it at the top of high-performance sorbent materials for uranium harvest from seawater.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53366-3

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