Progress in Uranium Extraction From Seawater: The Pivotal Role of Structure Engineering of Adsorbents

ABSTRACT The global transition to low‐carbon energy amplifies uranium demand, yet terrestrial reserves face critical shortages, necessitating uranium extraction from seawater (UES) as a sustainable solution. Seawater contains ∼4 billion tons of uranium, 1000‐fold exceeding terrestrial reserves, with inherent renewability. However, UES confronts extreme technical hurdles, such as ultralow uranium concentration (∼3.3 µg L −1 ), competitive adsorption by high‐abundance ions (Na + , Mg 2+ , and Ca 2+ ), and biofouling. Adsorption‐based strategies, particularly adsorbent structural engineering, have shown transformative potential. Hierarchical architectures are used to optimize porosity, surface area, and ligand distribution for enhancing uranium selectivity, capacity, and kinetics. For instance, nanoporous adsorbents with amidoxime‐functionalized surfaces achieve selective uranium chelation, while antifouling coatings mitigate biological interference. This review analyzes structure‐performance relationships in UES materials, highlighting the innovation of structural engineering (e.g., bioinspired frameworks, hybrid composites) that improve adsorption efficiency and durability. By elucidating structural engineering links between material design and uranium capture, we propose rational guidelines for scalable adsorbent development. These advances could unlock seawater uranium as a strategic resource, ensuring nuclear energy sustainability in a carbon‐constrained world.