Ultrafast, High-Capacity Uranium Harvesting From Seawater via a Hierarchically Porous Polymer Electrode

Efficient uranium extraction from seawater is a critical challenge in advancing sustainable nuclear energy, given the vast but dilute reserves of uranium in oceans. Here, we report a hierarchically porous polymer electrode engineered for electrochemical uranium harvesting with unprecedented performance. Fabricated via a non-solvent phase inversion process, the electrode features an interconnected microporous-mesoporous architecture that enhances uranium uptake and facilitates ion transport, where the amidoxime groups promote selective adsorption of uranyl ions, and they are subsequently electrodeposited as crystalline (UO₂)O₂·2H₂O under an applied potential. This solution-processable microporous polymer electrode exhibits an excellent uranium uptake capacity exceeding 4221 mg g^-1 without saturation. The electrode maintains strong reusability and seawater tolerance, enabling rapid and continuous uranium harvesting even at ultratrace concentrations. This work provides a transformative platform for electrochemically-driven, high-throughput uranium harvesting from marine resources.