The preparation and catalytic properties of micro/nano uranium oxide particles: a review
摘要
Uranium oxides, with excellent thermal and chemical stability, are widely used as nuclear fuels. They also offer unique advantages in catalysis, due to their complex electronic structures, tunable valence states, and abundant oxygen vacancies. This article reviews the state of the art in the synthesis of uranium oxide nanomaterials using various methods, including hydrothermal synthesis, template methods, surfactant-assisted techniques, ionizing irradiation, laser ablation, sol–gel processes, and others. The reaction mechanisms and influencing factors of each method are discussed in detail, along with a comprehensive evaluation of their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of uranium oxides in applications such as volatile organic compound degradation, alcohol oxidation, desulfurization, nitrogen oxide conversion, and enzyme-like catalysis is examined, highlighting their potential in environmental catalysis and energy conversion.