Functional nanomaterials for selective uranium recovery from seawater: Material design, extraction properties and mechanisms

•Functional nanomaterials such as COFs, MOFs, polymers and porous carbon are described and summarized.•Selective recovery of U(VI) from seawater by functional nanomaterials are reviewed and compared.•Interaction mechanisms were discussed from batch results, spectroscopy analysis and computational calculations.•Practical applications of functional nanomaterials were described from selectivity, stability, reusability and sorption capacity.•The challenges and opportunities of functional materials for U(VI) extraction from seawater were prospected.