Multifunctional Aerogel with Antibacterial/Photothermal Properties for Uranium Extraction from Natural Seawater

Addressing the persistent challenge of uranium extraction from seawater, we present a biomimetic GSM: graphene oxide/sulfonated cellulose nanofiber/[2-(methylacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) (H-UiO-66-NH2@GSM) aerogel with antibacterial activity, photothermal conversion, and ultrafast ion transport. Inspired by coral’s hierarchical architecture, this material integrates three synergistic components: 1) graphene oxide as a photothermal enhancer to boost light-driven adsorption capacity; 2) MAEDS-functionalized channels enabling selective uranium transport; 3) hollow-structured H-UiO-66-NH2 with Zr4+ coordination sites for strong U(VI) anchoring. The optimized aerogel achieves record U(VI) adsorption capacities of 192.2 mg g−1 in simulated seawater (100 mg L−1 U(VI)) and 6.3 mg g−1 in natural seawater, reaching equilibrium within 120 min. It maintains 96% removal efficiency against competing ions and 85% capacity retention after 10 cycles. Multimodal characterization (XPS) coupled with DFT/MD simulations reveal that UO22+ capture occurs through dual coordination mechanisms: (i) strong chelation between uranyl ions and −HSO3/−NH2 groups, and (ii) Zr4+-mediated electrostatic anchoring. This coral-inspired design simultaneously addresses three critical barriers in marine uranium extraction: sluggish kinetics, biofouling, and structural instability. The aerogel's unique combination of photothermal activation, antibacterial durability, and mechanical robustnessestablishes a new paradigm for sustainable nuclear fuel recovery from seawater.