China has developed a new material that behaves like a microscopic predator, actively searching for uranium in the ocean.
The innovation brings a fresh approach to one of the toughest challenges in nuclear energy: extracting uranium efficiently from seawater and cleaning radioactive pollution.
The work comes from an international research team led by scientists at the Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Their study was accepted for publication in Nano Research on March 24. The team designed a tiny, self-moving material that can swim through water and capture uranium ions on its own.
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Uranium is a key fuel for nuclear reactors. While seawater holds an estimated 4.5 billion tonnes of uranium, the concentration is extremely low. This makes extraction both complex and expensive using traditional methods.
For China, which is rapidly expanding its nuclear energy capacity, finding new sources of uranium is important, especially as it relies heavily on imports.
The new system uses a special material known as a metal-organic framework(MOF). These structures are known for their ability to trap specific molecules. In this case, the researchers turned the MOF into a micromotor, a tiny particle that can move independently in water.
Each particle is about 2 micrometers in size, much thinner than a human hair. The scientists designed them with a sponge-like structure and adjusted their internal chemistry so they remain stable in water for long periods.
The micromotors move using a small amount of hydrogen peroxide as fuel. They travel at around 7 micrometers per second. When exposed to light, their speed almost doubles, giving them an extra push from light’s energy.
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Lead scientist Yongquan Zhou explained the advantage of this system clearly. “It can run by itself,” he said. “Traditional adsorbents stay where they are placed. This micromotor moves automatically, and light drives it, which makes it relatively green.”
In lab tests, the moving particles performed well. They absorbed up to 406 milligrams of uranium per gram of material. Once captured, the uranium forms a stable mineral-like structure. This makes it easier to separate and store safely.
What makes this system different is its active behavior. Most current materials used to capture uranium stay still and rely on water movement to bring uranium ions to them. This new material does the opposite; it moves through the water, searching for its target.
The researchers also noticed something unusual during their experiments. The micromotors began to exhibit patterns similar to those of living systems. When mixed with passive particles, they displayed behaviors resembling hunting, escaping, and even group movement. These patterns changed depending on the amount of fuel present.
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Zhou said these behaviors resemble predator-prey dynamics seen in nature. This adds a new layer of interest to the technology, as it combines chemistry with motion and interaction.
The project was mainly carried out by Ikram Muhammad, an assistant professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team believes their design can go beyond uranium. It may also help recover other valuable elements such as rubidium and caesium, which are often left unused due to the difficulty of extraction.
Despite the promising results, the researchers say the technology is still in its early stages. There are challenges that must be solved before it can be used on a large scale.
Zhou pointed out one major issue. “In salt lakes, the salinity becomes too high, and it can no longer run,” he said. He added that improving the system will take time and further research.
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China’s salt lakes are currently used mainly for extracting potassium and lithium. Many other elements remain untouched because they are difficult to separate cost-effectively. The team believes this should change.
“We should not take away potassium and lithium and leave everything else behind as waste,” Zhou said. “Resources like uranium, rubidium, and caesium deserve much more attention.”
The new micromotor technology offers a glimpse into how advanced materials can solve complex resource challenges. By combining motion, light energy, and smart design, scientists are exploring ways to make extraction cleaner, faster, and more efficient. As research continues, this predator-like material may open new paths not only for nuclear fuel supply but also for environmental cleanup and resource recovery.
