What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to develop a durable and efficient adsorbent for uranium harvesting from complex environments like seawater.

February 11, 2026

Rapid Magnetic Separation Absorbent Integrating Amidoxime Chelators and Antibiofouling MOF Coatings for Efficient Uranium Extraction

Key Points

The aim is to develop a durable and efficient adsorbent for uranium harvesting from complex environments like seawater.
Created a magnetic composite with Fe3O4 core and PAO shell.
Employed stepwise solvothermal synthesis and surface grafting.
Tested uranium uptake under various conditions and evaluated selectivity against competing ions.
Conducted thermodynamic analysis and antibacterial performance assessments.
Achieved a maximum uranium uptake of 272 mg/g.
Showed selectivity with uranyl distribution coefficients significantly higher than competing ions.
Retained 80% of initial adsorption capacity after five cycles using 0.1 M HNO3.
Suppressed Pseudomonas aeruginosa formation by 98.54% in antibacterial tests.

Abstract

Developing adsorbents that couple high uranium affinity with durability in complex environments remains a pivotal challenge for efficient uranium harvesting. Here, we report a hierarchically engineered magnetic composite, Fe3O4@PAO@MPN-Met, that integrates (i) a superparamagnetic Fe3O4 core for rapid separation, (ii) an amidoxime-rich polyamidoxime (PAO) shell for uranyl chelation, (iii) a bioinspired metal-polyphenol network (MPN) adhesive layer, and (iv) an in situ mineralized Cu2+/d-methionine (d-Met) metal-organic framework (MOF) that imparts long-lasting antibiofouling activity. Stepwise solvothermal synthesis, surface grafting, and self-assembly preserve nanoscale morphology while reducing the saturation magnetization only to 16.4 emu/g─still sufficient for 1 min magnetic separation. Under optimal conditions, the material achieves a maximum uranium uptake of 272 mg/g, fitting the Langmuir model and quasi-second-order kinetics, indicative mainly of monolayer chemisorption controlled. Thermodynamic analysis reveals a spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-driven process. The composite shows outstanding selectivity, with uranyl distribution coefficients at least 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of competing ions. After five adsorption-desorption cycles using 0.1 M HNO3, 80% of the initial capacity is retained. Crucially, the Cu-Met nanochannels confer broad-spectrum antibacterial performance, suppressing Pseudomonas aeruginosa formation by 98.54%. In natural Bohai Sea water, after 7 days of adsorption, the uranium adsorption capacity is 0.322 mg/g, highlighting its salt tolerance and antifouling resilience. This multifunctional design, marrying strong amidoxime chelation, magnetic recoverability, and MOF-mediated antibacterial action, offers a viable route toward selective, reusable, and biofouling-resistant adsorbents for large-scale uranium harvesting from seawater.

AI से पूछें

Bookmark

View Full Paper