Peng Mu

Capture and Reversible Storage of Volatile Iodine by Novel Conjugated Microporous Polymers Containing Thiophene Units

Conjugated microporous polymers having thiophene building blocks (SCMPs), which originated from ethynylbenzene monomers with 2,3,5-tribromothiophene, were designedly synthesized through Pd(0)/CuI catalyzed Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling polymerization. The morphologies, structure and physicochemical properties of the as-synthesized products were characterized through scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimeter analysis (TGA), (13)C CP/MAS solid state NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) spectra. Nitrogen sorption-desorption analysis shows that the as-synthesized SCMPs possesses a high specific surface area of 855 m(2) g(-1). Because of their abundant porosity, π-conjugated network structure, as well as electron-rich thiophene building units, the SCMPs show better adsorption ability for iodine and a high uptake value of 222 wt % was obtained, which can compete with those nanoporous materials such as silver-containing zeolite, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), etc. Our study might provide a new possibility for the design and synthesis of functional CMPs containing electron-rich building units for effective capture and reversible storage of volatile iodine to address environmental issues.

Novel N-rich porous organic polymers with extremely high uptake for capture and reversible storage of volatile iodine

The imino group-contained porous organic polytriphenylamine, which originated from diphenylamine and 1,3,5-tris(4-bromophenyl)benzene, was designedly synthesized though Buchwald-Hartwig coupling reaction. The basic properties including morphologies, structure and thermal stability of the resulting POPs were investigated by scanning electron microscope(SEM), thermo gravimeter analysis (TGA), 13C CP/MAS solid state NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR). The pore size distribution of POPs present uniform mesoporous of sizes less than 50nm. Scanning electron microscope images show that the resulting POPs formed as an aggregation composed of nanospheres. The POPs were employed as a physicochemical stable porous medium for removal of radioactive iodine and an iodine uptake of up to 382wt% was obtained. To our knowledge, this is one of the highest adsorption value reported to date. Based on these findings, the resulting POPs shows great potential in the removal of radioactive iodine at different states, through a green, environmentally friendly, and sustainable way.

Hierarchical porous spherical-shaped conjugated microporous polymers for the efficient removal of antibiotics from water

Herein, two conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) containing dual heteroatoms (named as CMPSNs) were synthesized using 4,7-dibromobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole and alkynyl monomers as the building blocks though a Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling reaction for the efficient removal of antibiotics from water. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 13C CP/MAS solid-state NMR, ultraviolet (UV) adsorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to confirm the structure of the resulting CMPSNs. Under our synthesis conditions, CMPSNs with interesting morphologies were obtained, where the macroscopically porous network structure was composed of aggregated hierarchical micrometre-sized microporous spheres. Employing tetracycline as a model antibiotic, for the first time, the performance of the CMPSNs for the removal of tetracycline from water was systematically investigated. The results of the adsorption kinetics of tetracycline showed that the adsorption mechanism of the resulting polymers followed a pseudo-second-order model. Moreover, the adsorption behaviour of CMPSNs for tetracycline fitted well with the Freundlich model. In addition, the adsorption thermodynamics indicated that the adsorption is an endothermic process, and it was also found that the temperature was beneficial to the adsorption and that the adsorption process was spontaneous. The findings obtained from this work make the CMPSNs promising candidates for the capture of tetracycline, which may open a new opportunity to address certain environmental issues, especially from the global-scale severe water pollution arising from antibiotics.

Particle and nanofiber shaped conjugated microporous polymers bearing hydantoin-substitution with high antibacterial activity for water cleanness

Efficient elimination of widespread microbial contamination in water is of great importance to address severe environmental issues. Herein, we demonstrate a new strategy for fabricating novel CMPs-based antibacterial agents by covalently introducing hydantoin groups into CMPs networks (named as CMPH). The resulting CMPH show excellent physicochemical stability, large specific surface areas (up to 1411 m2 g−1) and high antibacterial activity (completely inhibiting growth of bacteria at 100 μg mL−1 dispersion concentration in 120 min). To our knowledge, this is the first example of a CMPs-based antibacterial agent. Furthermore, the CMPH can not only be fabricated as monolithic nanoporous foam, but also can be loaded on diverse porous substrates to fabricate cost-effective sterilization materials, showing great potentials for their practical applications in water cleanness. More importantly, the findings of this study may open a versatile route for design and fabrication of CMPs-based antibacterial materials by the facile introduction of diverse of antibacterial substituents into CMPs building blocks followed by a simple one-pot reaction.

Monolithic nanofoam based on conjugated microporous polymer nanotubes with ultrahigh mechanical strength and flexibility for energy storage

Conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) nanotube based monolithic nanofoams were synthesized to possess excellent flexibility, robust elasticity and ultrahigh compressive strength, which would greatly enhance their processability for real applications. The findings of this investigation may open a simple and new route to fabricate “soft” CMPs for specific use in the future.

Robust aerogels based on conjugated microporous polymer nanotubes with exceptional mechanical strength for efficient solar steam generation

The creation of a porous medium with high solar energy harvesting and conversion efficiency as well as desired robustness is essential for construction of an efficient solar steam generation system. Herein, we report the first example of conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) aerogel-based solar steam generators, which were synthesized by using 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene, 1,4-dibromobenzene and 4,4′-dibromobiphenyl as building blocks through Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling reaction. The resulting CMP aerogels show high porosity of greater than 94%, owing to their porous three-dimensional network architecture which is constructed by CMP nanotubes with diameters of ca. 100 nm. The CMP aerogels possess low thermal conductivity (0.022 W m−1 K−1) and exceptional mechanical properties with a compressive strength of up to 0.54 MPa under loading of 75% strain. Solar steam generation efficiencies of up to 81%, 85% and 88% are achieved at light intensities of 1 kW m−2, 2 kW m−2 and 3 kW m−2, respectively. The findings of this study may provide a new opportunity for rational design and construction of new CMP-based solar steam generators due to the designable flexibility of CMPs which makes it possible to fine tune both porosity and chemical composition of the resulting CMP product only by varying the CMP building blocks through a simple one-pot reaction.