A three-dimensional luminescent covalent organic framework for rapid, selective, and reversible uranium detection and extraction

Uranium is a key fuel for nuclear reactions, but it also causes serious public health concerns to human beings when leaked into the environment. Exploring new strategies for simultaneous uranium detection and extraction is highly desirable for public health and environmental protection. Herein, a hydroxyl-functionalized 3D covalent organic framework (termed TAPM-DHBD) with strong fluorescence and 3D interconnected pore channels is synthesized and evaluated for uranium detection and extraction. TAPM-DHBD exhibits an exceptional uranium extraction capacity of 955.3 mg g−1 as well as fast kinetics due to the plentiful selective binding sites on the extremely accessible pore channels of 3D interconnected micropore skeleton. Interestingly, due to the signal amplification of the 3D conjugated skeleton, it has a rapid-response time of 2 s and an ultra-low detection limit of 4.08 nM UO22+ suitable for sensitive and on-site monitoring the radioactive uranium contamination of the extracted water. Furthermore, TAPM-DHBD exhibits excellent regenerable performance at least six cycles. This study provides a new strategy for constructing high-performance 3D COFs for radioactive contamination monitoring and strategic nuclides extraction.