This Chinese 'predator-like' material can extract uranium from the ocean
What's the story
An international research team in China has developed a revolutionary "predator-like" material capable of hunting uranium ions in the ocean. The breakthrough was made by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes. The innovative light-powered device is a metal-organic framework (MOF) micromotor that can swim through water and capture uranium ions on its own.
Extraction difficulties
Uranium's scarcity and impact on China
Uranium, the fuel for nuclear reactors, is found in large quantities in seawater, an estimated 4.5 billion tons. However, its concentration is extremely low, making extraction both technically difficult and prohibitively expensive. This presents a major challenge for China as it seeks to expand its nuclear power fleet while remaining heavily reliant on imported uranium supplies.
Research breakthrough
Sponge-like particles to capture uranium ions
The research team has developed sponge-like particles, just 2 micrometers wide, thinner than a human hair. They modified the internal chemical structure of these particles to keep them stable in water for long periods. When supplied with tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide, the micromotors propel themselves at roughly 7 micrometres/second. In lab tests, these particles extracted uranium from water, absorbing around 406 milligrams per gram. Once captured, the uranium is locked into a mineralised form, making it simpler to store.