Light-driven catalysis-assisted uranium extraction from seawater opens up a promising avenue to enhance the extraction capacity, kinetics, and selectivity for uranium removal. Herein, we report novel ternary boron carbon nitride hollow nanotubes (BCN-HNTs) with tunable p-n homojunction as metal-free photocatalyst for efficient uranium extraction. Relying on the density functional theory calculations, in conjunction with other spectral analyses, we distinguish the six-membered carbon rings introduced in h-BN to form a tunable p-n homojunction. Accordingly, the BCN-HNTs exhibit a remarkable U(VI) removal rate of ＞95% under a wide range of uranium concentrations. By virtue of the X-ray absorption spectroscopy technique, we identify the conversion of 3O_ax-U-4O_eq moieties into the 2O_ax-U-3O_eq moieties during the transition from dark to light conditions, further verifying the reduction of high-valent uranium. In addition, we find that the introduction of carbon into h-BN lattice enhances the adsorption energy for uranium species, thereby improving the extraction capacity of uranium.

光驱动催化辅助从海水中提取铀开辟了一条有希望的途径，以提高铀去除的提取能力、动力学和选择性。在此，我们报告了具有可调谐 pn 同质结的新型三元碳氮化硼中空纳米管 (BCN-HNT) 作为无金属光催化剂用于高效铀提取。依靠密度泛函理论计算，结合其他光谱分析，我们区分了h -BN 中引入的六元碳环，形成了可调谐的 pn 同质结。因此，在很宽的铀浓度范围内，BCN-HNTs 的 U(VI) 去除率高达 95% 以上。借助 X 射线吸收光谱技术，我们确定了 3O _ax -U-4O _eq的转换在从黑暗到​​光照条件的转变过程中，部分进入 2O _ax -U-3O _eq部分，进一步验证了高价铀的还原。此外，我们发现在h -BN 晶格中引入碳增强了对铀物种的吸附能，从而提高了铀的提取能力。