Efficient removal of uranium (U) from aqueous solutions is crucial for ecological safety. Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles provide a promising strategy for radionuclide recovery and separation. However, designing and synthesizing magnetic adsorbents with high sorption capacity and selectivity, accompanied by excellent stability and reusability, remain a challenge. In this work, novel amidoximefunctionalized flower-like magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 core−shell microspheres are designed and synthesized to efficiently remove U(VI) from aqueous solutions and actual seawater. The magnetic Fe 3 O 4 core facilitates easy separation by an external magnetic field, and flower-like TiO 2 nanosheets provide abundant specific surface areas and functionalization sites. The grafted amidoxime (AO) groups could function as a claw for catching uranium. The maximum adsorption capacity on U(VI) of the designed nanospheres reaches 313.6 mg•g −1 at pH 6.0, and the adsorption efficiency is maintained at 97% after 10 cycles. In addition, the excellent selectivity of the magnetic recyclable AO-functioning Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 microspheres endows the potential of uranium extraction from seawater. The designed material provides an effective and applicable diagram for radioactive element elimination and enrichment.
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