A novel strategy for efficient uranium extraction and energy storage: Uranium extraction cell

The challenge of efficiently extracting uranium from water is hereby addressed by a novel idea based on fuel cell principle: uranium extraction cell (UEC). The uranium extraction cell transforms uranium in both wastewater and seawater to UO2 fuels and electricity simultaneously, enabling both functions of uranium extraction and energy storage. Using Ti3C2Tx MXene as the anode and adsorbent, the UEC method achieved a more than eightfold higher uranium extraction capacity of 4921 mg g−1 (extraction ratio of 98.4 %) without saturation and a fivefold faster extraction rate than conventional physicochemical adsorption in uranium-containing wastewater. In real seawater, the UEC method realized a uranium extraction capacity of 4.27 mg g−1 in 24 h, outperforming most reports on uranium extraction from seawater. Therefore, this work is not only promising in uranium extraction from water, but also provides new opportunities for energy harvesting and environmental enhancement.