Monodispersed uranium atomic site on carbonaceous materials

Abstract

The adsorption behavior of uranium on carbon substrates proves crucial for nuclear energy, catalytic and environmental technologies. This study reveals distinct uranium immobilization mechanisms across graphene, amorphous carbon, and nanodiamonds by aberration-corrected TEM. While amorphous carbon and nanodiamonds effectively anchor atomic uranium through uranyl ion adsorption, pristine graphene exhibits inherent resistance to uranyl binding. Graphene captures dissociated uranium atoms from amorphous carbon only under electron beam irradiation. This study bridges critical knowledge gaps in uranium–carbon interactions, offering a foundation for designing carbon-supported catalysts and uranyl adsorption materials.