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Nature can efficiently recognize specific ions by exerting second-sphere interactions onto well-folded protein scaffolds. However, a considerable challenge remains to artificially manipulate such affinity, while being cost-effective in managing immense amounts of water samples. Here, we propose an effective approach to regulate uranyl capture performance by creating bio-inspired nano-traps, illustrated by constructing chelating moieties into porous frameworks, where the binding motif's coordinative interaction towards uranyl is enhanced by introducing an assistant group, reminiscent of biological systems. Representatively, the porous framework bearing 2-aminobenzamidoxime is exceptional in sequestering high uranium concentrations with sufficient capacities (530 mg g -1 ) and trace quantities, including uranium in real seawater (4.36 mg g -1 , triple the benchmark). Using a combination of spectroscopic, crystallographic, and theory calculation studies, it is revealed that the amino substituent assists in lowering the charge on uranyl in the complex and serves as a hydrogen bond acceptor, boosting the overall uranyl affinity of amidoxime.

Seawater contains uranium at a concentration of ≈3.3 ppb, thus representing a rich and sustainable nuclear fuel source. Herein, an adsorption–electrocatalytic platform is developed for uranium extraction from seawater, comprising atomically dispersed indium anchored on hollow nitrogen‐doped carbon capsules functionalized with flexible amidoxime moieties (In–Nx–C–R, where R denotes amidoxime groups). In–Nx–C–R exhibits excellent uranyl capture properties, enabling a uranium removal rate of 6.35 mg g−1 in 24 h, representing one of the best uranium extractants reported to date. Importantly, In–Nx–C–R demonstrates exceptional selectivity for uranium extraction relative to vanadium in seawater (8.75 times more selective for the former). X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) reveals that the amidoxime groups serve as uranyl chelating sites, thus allowing selective adsorption over other ions. XAS and in situ Raman results directly indicate that the absorbed uranyl can be electrocatalytically reduced to an unstable U(V) intermediate, then re‐oxidizes to U(VI) in the form of insoluble Na2O(UO3·H2O)x for collection, through reversible single electron transfer processes involving InNx sites. These results provide detailed mechanistic understanding of the uranium extraction process at a molecular level. This work provides a roadmap for the adsorption–electrocatalytic extraction of uranium from seawater, adding to the growing suite of technologies for harvesting valuable metals from the earth's oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preorganization is a basic design principle used by nature that allows for synergistic pathways to be expressed. Herein, a full account of the conceptual and experimental development from randomly distributed functionalities to a convergent arrangement that facilitates cooperative binding is given, thus conferring exceptional affinity toward the analyte of interest. The resulting material with chelating groups populated adjacently in a spatially locked manner displays up to two orders of magnitude improvement compared to a random and isolated manner using uranium sequestration as a model application. This adsorbent shows exceptional extraction efficiencies, capable of reducing the uranium concentration from 5 ppm to less than 1 ppb within 10 min, even though the system is permeated with high concentrations of competing ions. The efficiency is further supported by its ability to extract uranium from seawater with an uptake capability of 5.01 mg g−1, placing it among the highest‐capacity seawater uranium extraction materials described to date. The concept presented here uncovers a new paradigm in the design of efficient sorbent materials by manipulating the spatial distribution to amplify the cooperation of functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]