Urazole Decorated Multifunctional Mesoporous Polymer Networks for Efficient Capture of Uranium (VI) from Aqueous Matrices

Abstract

Efficient uranium capture from water matrices is of paramount importance for sustainable development of nuclear energy, as it can solve significant issues like nuclear reservoir and relevant environmental pollution. Herein we report a multifunctional mesoporous polymer network, containing urazole groups, in combination with other groups such as amines, imines etc., to achieve excellent uranium uptake efficiency. The developed material exhibits excellent uranium adsorption capacity of 956 mg/g (pH 6), with fast adsorption kinetics (able to capture >75% uranyl from aqueous solution in just 15 minutes and reaches equilibrium within just 50 minutes). The material can capture > 90% uranium from contaminated natural water and wastewater matrices. Moreover, it can extract >70% uranium from natural seawater within 3 days. DFT calculations reveals that the newly introduced urazole groups in the backbone enable excellent binding with uranyl, as understood by its highly negative adsorption energy (ΔE). Its exceptional thermochemical stability, reusability, and uranium-capture efficiency-demonstrated across real-life conditions such as at varying pH, in presence of competing ions, in a range of complex natural and waste water matrices including uranium extraction from seawater, and superior performance in dynamic column-based systems-make it a highly promising candidate for practical deployment.