Sulfonated heteroatom co-doped carbon materials with a porous structure boosting electrosorption capacity for uranium (VI) removal

The discharge of effluents containing radionuclides has a detrimental impact on the ecological environment, emphasizing the importance of recovering U(VI) from nuclear wastewater to safeguard the environment. Electrosorption has emerged as a viable technique for the extraction of uranium from radioactive solutions. Herein, we propose a facile strategy utilizing ultrasonication to fabricate a novel sulfonated carbon material (HCCMsSO3H) co-doped with B, N, and P atoms. The incorporation of sulfonate groups and doping heteratoms in HCCMsSO3H significantly enhanced its electrosorption capacity for uranium, yielding an impressive capacity of 626.37 mg/g at 0.9 V. This enhancement in electrosorption ability is attributed to the synergistic effects of sulfonate groups and the presence of B, N, and P atoms in the carbon matrix. Furthermore, HCCMs-SO3H exhibited excellent recoverability and selectivity towards uranium, endowing it a promising material for uranium extraction from uranium-containing solutions. Its high electrosorption capacity, coupled with favorable recoverability and selectivity, positioned HCCMs-SO3H as a potential candidate for efficient and environmentally friendly uranium recovery processes.