Dual-channel engineering of inorganic oxyhalide cathode for synergistic purification and resource recovery from radioactive wastewater

The simultaneous removal and resource recovery of uranium and organic pollutants from radioactive wastewater pose a significant environmental challenge, primarily constrained by the limited charge transfer efficiency of conventional remediation materials. This work achieves superior photoelectrocatalytic performance by engineering dual-channel charge transfer pathways in facet-exposed BiOI nanosheets. Through controlled synthesis, we construct [001]-oriented BiOI cathodes rich in surface iodine active sites and bulk oxygen vacancies, which synergistically establish separate yet interconnected channels for hole capture and electron conduction. Integrated into a solar-driven wastewater resource system (SWRS), this design enables concurrent uranium recovery and complete organic mineralization while generating electricity. The system exhibits not only ultrafast removal kinetics for target pollutants (with rate constants increased several-fold) but also continuous power output (1.42 mW cm −2 ). Excellent resistance to environmental interference and cycling stability, coupled with successful operation under natural sunlight, mark a critical step toward the practical application of this integrated system. This study demonstrates an effective strategy for achieving multifunctional integration in complex environmental remediation through precise regulation of catalyst charge transport pathways. A solar-driven system(B-SWRS) integrating a [0 0 1] facet-engineered BiOI cathode with a TiO 2 -Si photoanode, which simultaneously enables efficient UO 2 2+ recovery, tetracycline degradation, and electricity generation via enhanced charge transfer through exposed [0 0 1] facets and oxygen vacancies. Download: Download high-res image (215KB) Download: Download full-size image