Electrochemical Capture and Accumulation of Uranium Using a Layered Uvanite Electrode

Abstract

Extracting uranyl ions (UO22+) from uranium mining leachates can enhance national uranium security and mitigate the environmental impact of nuclear energy. Conventional techniques such as ion exchange and iron-based reductive precipitation have notable limitations. This study reports that the uvanite (U2V6O21) electrode, a layered uranium-vanadium oxide, enables potentiodynamic decoupling of UO22+ and proton intercalation/deintercalation, as well as proton-induced UO22+/UO3 precipitation and dissolution reactions. Building on a comprehensive understanding of charge-transfer and transport mechanisms, we found that potentiodynamic modulation enables selective capture of uranium species using a uvanite electrode. By allowing competing cations to deintercalate at lower potentials and preventing proton deintercalation, UO3 dissolution is inhibited, achieving a high UO3 recovery capacity of 515 mg/g at 10 times the competing cation concentration. The new electrochemistry of the uvanite electrode helps develop cost-effective, sustainable battery electrodes for critical ion extraction from water.