Photothermal activation by hollow multishelled structure for efficient uranium extraction

Uranium extraction from seawater is essential for sustainable nuclear energy but remains kinetically limited by ultralow concentration and slow ion diffusion. Inspired by the Stokes-Einstein equation, we can predict the rise in local temperature would increase the diffusion coefficient for uranyl ions. Here we report a generalizable photothermal strategy by depositing amorphous Ta2O5/C-HoMS onto amidoxime-functionalized polyethylene fibers. The unique multi-shelled and compartmentalized architecture of HoMS facilitates both efficient solar-to-thermal conversion and enhanced mass transport. Under solar irradiation, the composite generates localized heating, which accelerates uranyl diffusion and raises the adsorption capacity by 27% compared to dark conditions, while maintaining over 91% capacity after seven consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles. Systematic light-versus-dark comparisons demonstrate that the photothermal effect is the key driver for enhanced kinetics for uranium uptake. This work provides a simple, universal and efficient platform for solar-driven uranium recovery, paving a practical route toward sustainable nuclear fuel supply from ocean.