Highly-efficient uranium reduction, organic oxidation and electricity generation via a solar-driven wastewater resourceization system with a PANI/CF cathode

Co-existed organics bring great challenges for uranium recycling from water because of the formation of obstinate complexes with uranyl ions (UO22+), predominated species of uranium in water). Here, we proposed an effective strategy to simultaneously decompose organics and recycle uranium from complex radioactive wastewater, combined with electricity production, by a solar-driven wastewater resourcization system (SWRS), in which an electrodeposited polyaniline (PANI) decorated carbon fiber (CF-PANI) cathode was used for highly efficient UO22+ reduction based on the abundant –NH- groups and conductivity of PANI. Under sunlight illumination, a BiVO4 decorated WO3 nanoplate array (BVO/WNP) combined with a rear silicon cell (SC) was applied as the monolithic photoanode to generate oxidative holes and derived hydroxyl radicals for robust organic oxidation, and driven electrons to the CF-PANI cathode for uranium reduction and simultaneous electricity generation at external circuit. Compared to CF, the optimized CF-PANI improved the rate constants (k) by 6 and 6.7 times for UO22+ and organic removal, respectively, and enhanced power output by 2 times (Pmax, 1.12 mW/cm2). Additionally, near 100 % removal ratios for both UO22+ and organics accompanying with Pmax around 1 mW/cm2 were achieved by SWRS when treating model complex wastewater under wide conditions or even under real sunlight illumination. The fixed uranium on the CF-PANI cathode was mainly reduced into U(IV) species (95.8 %) and the repeated tests demonstrated the excellent stability of SWRS (without obvious decay after reusing 15 times). This work provides new insights on the resourceful treatment of radioactive wastewater and contaminated waters.