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A new technique uses wax to create absorbent spheres capable of extracting up to 8,23 mg of uranium from seawater per gram of material, revealing the potential to mine 1.000 times more uranium in the oceans than on land.
Have you ever imagined using candle wax to revolutionize the nuclear energy sector? Because that's exactly what Chinese scientists did.! They have developed a groundbreaking technology capable of extracting uranium directly from seawater. This breakthrough could change the way the world fuels its nuclear power plants and contribute to the global energy transition.
Why is ocean uranium so important?
The oceans hold a valuable secret: huge reserves of uranium, estimated at 4,5 billion tons. To give you an idea, this is a thousand times more than the reserves on Earth, which could be exhausted in just over a century.
While uranium reserves on land are limited and of variable quality, the oceans offer a virtually inexhaustible source. However, the concentration of uranium in seawater is extremely low, making its extraction a technical and economic challenge.
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Uranium in the oceans is dispersed, which complicates its extraction. Previous methods have been hampered by high costs and low efficiency. The solution, therefore, needed to be affordable, sustainable and easy to produce on a large scale.
The innovation: uranium absorbent spheres made with wax
The researchers' big breakthrough was to transform candle wax into porous hydrogel particles, which are capable of capturing uranium ions from seawater. It sounds like magic, but it's pure science!
The process begins with a mixture of melted wax and a polymer called polyamidexime, which has a high affinity for metals. After cooling, the wax is extracted, leaving behind porous particles with a structure similar to Swiss cheese.
These particles are encapsulated in a compound of alginate and polyacrylic acid, forming small spheres measuring 3 mm in diameter. These spheres have high absorption capacity, selectivity and can be reused, making the process practical and sustainable.
Promising results of new technology
Os tests have shown that the technology is efficient and has great potential for practical applications. The numbers are impressive and show that we are on the right track to explore this energy source.
In real seawater, the spheres extracted 4,79 mg of uranium per gram in 15 days. In simulated water, that number rose to 8,23 mg per gram. This efficiency is a milestone in the research.
In addition to being effective, the spheres are reusable, with only 31,2% loss of capacity after five consecutive uses. This is essential to keep the cost low and increase the commercial viability of the technology.
The impact of the discovery on the future of nuclear energy
Chinese innovation could be a game-changer for the nuclear energy sector. Access to ocean uranium could transform the global energy mix and reduce dependence on imports.
With the growing demand for clean energy sources, uranium extracted from the oceans emerges as a viable alternative to power nuclear reactors and reduce carbon emissions.
Countries like China, which depend on imports due to the low quality of their uranium ore, can benefit immensely from this technology, increasing their energy autonomy.
The discovery of Chinese scientists is a promising step towards a sustainable energy future. Using wax to create hydrogel particles may seem simple, but the science behind it has a huge impact.
