Photo-assisted uranium reduction separation: material design, application, challenges, and perspectives

Abstract

As a low-carbon and highly efficient clean energy source, nuclear energy is considered to be one of the most promising sources of energy in the future. Terrestrial uranium resources are finite, imposing inherent constraints on the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy. Concurrently, the discharge of uranium-laden effluents poses persistent environmental hazards. Consequently, efficient recovery of uranium from both radioactive wastewater and seawater is critical for sustaining nuclear fuel supply and mitigating ecological risks. Photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising strategy for uranium separation due to its environmental friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and recyclable catalysts. This paper introduces the background of photo-assisted uranium reduction separation and briefly discusses the mechanism of photo-assisted uranium reduction. The material design strategies for photo-assisted uranium reduction by semiconductor materials is described in detail. In addition, the influencing factors of photo-assisted uranium reduction are systematically discussed. Furthermore, this paper summarizes the currently available means of characterization for uranium species monitoring and technical analysis, as well as the application scenarios of photo-assisted uranium reduction. Finally, based on the current research on photo-assisted uranium reduction technology, the challenges and future perspectives are presented, aiming to provide a reference for future research on photocatalytic reduction of uranium.