Multifunctional Porous Organic Polymers: Tuning of Porosity, CO2, and H2 Storage and Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis

Enhanced N-doped Porous Carbon Derived from KOH-Activated Waste Wool: A Promising Material for Selective Adsorption of CO₂/CH₄ and CH₄/N₂

Separation of impurities (CO₂ and N₂) from CH₄ is an important issue for natural gas alternatives (such as coalbed gas, biogas, and landfill gas) upgrading. It is notably challenging to synthesize high N-doped porous carbon with an appropriate porous structure. In this work, high N content (14.48 wt %) porous carbon with micropore size of 0.52 and 1.2 nm and specific surface area of 862 m² g-1 has been synthesized from potassium hydroxide (KOH) activated waste wool upon the urea modification. Pure component adsorption isotherms of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂ are systematically measured on this enhanced N-doped porous carbon at 0 and 25 °C, up to 1 bar, to evaluate the gases adsorption capability, and correlated with the Langmuir model. These data are used to estimate the separation selectivities for binary mixtures of CO₂/CH₄ and CH₄/N₂ at different mixing ratios according to the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) model. At an ambient condition of 25 °C and 1 bar, the predicted selectivities for equimolar CO₂/CH₄ and CH₄/N₂ are 3.19 and 7.62, respectively, and the adsorption capacities for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂ are 2.91, 1.01, and 0.13 mmol g-1, respectively. This report introduces a simple pathway to obtain enhanced N-doped porous carbon with large adsorption capacities for gas separation of CO₂/CH₄ and CH₄/N₂.

Ultra-fine Pd nanoparticles confined in a porous organic polymer: A leaching-and-aggregation-resistant catalyst for the efficient reduction of nitroarenes by NaBH4

Porous organic polymers (POPs) containing nitrogenous substituents have potential practical applications as heterogeneous catalysts based upon controlled porous structure and surface-anchored noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs). In this work we prepared a POP material from piperazine and cyanuric chloride starting materials (PC-POP). The PC-POP material contains numerous triazinyl moieties, thus rendering the pores hydrophobic. Subsequently, by means of a novel reverse double-solvent approach (RDSA), microdroplets of Pd(AcO)₂/CH₂Cl₂ were introduced into the hydrophobic pores of PC-POP in an aqueous environment; Pd(II) was rapidly reduced by NaBH₄ to form ultra-fine Pd NPs and confined within the pores of PC-POP at high dispersity. The extensive porosity and dispersity of the Pd NPs made the active sites readily accessible, and led to efficient mass transfer. Thus, Pd@PC-POP exhibits superior catalytic performance in catalytic reduction of various nitroarenes. Furthermore, Pd@PC-POP has excellent recyclability, without significant loss of activity nor leaching of Pd active sites during 10 successive reaction cycles. This work points to a practical and cost-effective approach to preparation of POP materials, and also for confining ultra-fine NMNPs in POPs for use as catalysts.

Rise of Conjugated Poly-ynes and Poly(Metalla-ynes): From Design Through Synthesis to Structure-Property Relationships and Applications

Conjugated poly-ynes and poly(metalla-ynes) constitute an important class of new materials with potential application in various domains of science. The key factors responsible for the diverse usage of these materials is their intriguing and tunable chemical and photophysical properties. This review highlights fascinating advances made in the field of conjugated organic poly-ynes and poly(metalla-ynes) incorporating group 4-11 metals. This includes several important aspects of conjugated poly-ynes viz. synthetic protocols, bonding, electronic structure, nature of luminescence, structure-property relationships, diverse applications, and concluding remarks. Furthermore, we delineated the future directions and challenges in this particular area of research.

Soluble Hyperbranched Porous Organic Polymers

Soluble porous organic polymers (SPOPs) are currently the subject of extensive investigation due to the enhanced processability compared to insoluble counterparts. Here, a new concept for the construction of SPOPs is presented, which combines the unique topological structure of hyperbranched polymers with rigid building blocks. By using this facile, one-step strategy, a class of novel SPOPs which possess surface areas up to 646 m² g^-1 have been synthesized. The extended π-conjugated backbone affords the polymers bright fluorescence under UV irradiation. Interestingly, after dissolution in a suitable solvent that was slowly evaporated, the polymers retain a large extent of porosity. The SPOPs are potential candidates for gas storage and separation, photovoltaic, and biological applications. In particular, due to the presence of an internal porous structure and open conformations, they show high drug loading efficiency (1.91 g of ibuprofen per gram), which is considerably higher than conventional porous organic polymers.

Role of Surface Phenolic-OH Groups in N-Rich Porous Organic Polymers for Enhancing the CO2 Uptake and CO2/N2 Selectivity: Experimental and Computational Studies

Design and successful synthesis of phenolic-OH and amine-functionalized porous organic polymers as adsorbent for postcombustion CO₂ uptake from flue gas mixtures along with high CO₂/N₂ selectivity is a very demanding research area in the context of developing a suitable adsorbent to mitigate greenhouse gases. Herein, we report three triazine-based porous organic polymers TrzPOP-1, -2, and -3 through the polycondensation of two triazine rings containing tetraamine and three dialdehydes. These porous organic polymers possess high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of 995, 868, and 772 m² g^-1, respectively. Out of the three materials, TrzPOP-2 and TrzPOP-3 contain additional phenolic-OH groups along with triazine moiety and secondary amine linkages. At 273 K, TrzPOP-1, -2, and -3 displayed CO₂ uptake capacities of 6.19, 7.51, and 8.54 mmol g^-1, respectively, up to 1 bar pressure, which are considerably high among all porous polymers reported till date. Despite the lower BET surface area, TrzPOP-2 and TrzPOP-3 containing phenolic-OH groups showed higher CO₂ uptakes. To understand the CO₂ adsorption mechanism, we have further performed the quantum chemical studies to analyze noncovalent interactions between CO₂ molecules and different polar functionalities present in these porous polymers. TrzPOP-1, -2, and -3 have the capability of selective CO₂ uptake over that of N₂ at 273 K with the selectivity of 61:1, 117:1, and 142:1 by using the initial slope comparing method, along with 108.4, 140.6, and 167.4 by using ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) method, respectively. On the other hand, at 298 K, the calculated CO₂/N₂ selectivities in the initial slope comparing method for TrzPOP-1, -2, and -3 are 27:1, 72:1, and 96:1, whereas those using IAST method are 42.1, 75.7, and 94.5, respectively. Cost effective and scalable synthesis of these porous polymeric materials reported herein for selective CO₂ capture has a very promising future for environmental clean-up.

Palladium Supported on an Amphiphilic Triazine-Urea-Functionalized Porous Organic Polymer as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Electrochemical Sensing of Rutin in Human Plasma

Metal nanoparticle-containing porous organic polymers have gained great interest in chemical and pharmaceutical applications owing to their high reactivity and good recyclability. In the present work, a palladium nanoparticle-decorated triazine-urea-based porous organic polymer (Pd@TU-POP) was designed and synthesized using 1,3-bis(4-aminophenyl)urea with cyanuric chloride and palladium acetate. The porous structure and physicochemical properties of the electrode material Pd@TU-POP were observed using a range of standard techniques. The Pd@TU-POP material on the electrode surface showed superior sensing ability for rutin (RT) because the Pd dispersion facilitated the electrocatalytic performance of TU-POP by reducing the overpotential of RT oxidation dramatically and improving the stability significantly. Furthermore, TU-POP provides excellent structural features for loading Pd nanoparticles, and the resulting Pd@TU-POP exhibited enhanced electron transfer and outstanding sensing capability in a linear range between 2 and 200 pM having a low detection value of 5.92 × 10^-12 M (S/N = 3). The abundant porous structure of Pd@TU-POP not only provides electron transport channels for RT diffusion but also offers a facile route for quantification sensing of RT with satisfactory recoveries in aqueous electrolyte containing human plasma and red wine. These data reveal that the synthetic Pd@TU-POP is an excellent potential platform for the detection of RT in biological samples.

Photocatalytic Oxidation of Sulfur Mustard and Its Simulant on BODIPY-Incorporated Polymer Coatings and Fabrics

Sulfur mustard is one of the most toxic chemical warfare agents worldwide. We report the use of 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza- s-indacene (BODIPY) photosensitizers as a fast and effective sulfur mustard decontaminant and their incorporation into various polymer coatings and fabrics, including army combat uniform. These BODIPY-embedded materials are capable of generating singlet oxygen under visible light irradiation and effectively detoxifying sulfur mustard by converting it into nontoxic sulfoxides as the major products. The rate of decontamination is found to be affected by the photosensitizer structure and concentration as well as the excitation wavelength. The most effective BODIPY-embedded self-decontamination material observed in this study shows a half-life of only 0.8 min. In comparison to the current methods, which use activated carbon as the adsorbent layer, these self-detoxifying coatings and fabrics provide constant destruction of and real-time protection against sulfur mustard.

Conjugated microporous polymers with azide groups: a new strategy for postsynthetic fluoride functionalization and effectively enhanced CO2 adsorption properties

A series of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have been synthesized based on zinc-porphyrin building blocks. Azide groups incorporated within the pores of the CMPs were subjected to alkyne click conditions via a facile, one-step quantitative procedure, the resultant porous frameworks exhibited enhanced CO₂ sorption properties.

Waste wool derived nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon for selective CO2 capture

In this work, N-doped hierarchical porous carbon has been successfully fabricated by KOH activation of waste wool. The optimal sample exhibits good CO₂ adsorption capacity under atmospheric pressure (1 bar), as well as excellent CO₂/N₂ selectivity.

Redox-active, pyrene-based pristine porous organic polymers for efficient energy storage with exceptional cyclic stability

A pristine porous organic polymer with a polyaromatic core of pyrene and redox-active functionalities exhibits remarkable supercapacitor performance with long-term cyclic stability.

A smart photosensitizer based on a red emitting solution processable porous polymer: generation of reactive oxygen species

An efficient photosensitizer was developed employing a red emitting soluble conjugated porous organic polymer and the structure–activity relationship was established.

Controlled synthesis of conjugated polycarbazole polymers via structure tuning for gas storage and separation applications

A series of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) based on 1,3,6,8-tetrabromocarbazole (N4CMP-1-5) is synthesized via Suzuki cross-coupling or Sonogashira polycondensation. The porosity properties and surface area of these polymer networks can be finely tuned by using a linker with different geometries or strut length. These polymers show the Brunauer-Emmett-Tellerthe (BET) surface areas ranging from 592 to 1426 m2 g-1. The dominant pore sizes of the polymers on the basis of the different linker are located between 0.36 and 0.61 nm. Gas uptake increases with BET surface area and micropore volume, N4CMP-3 polymer can capture CO2 with a capacity of 3.62 mmol g-1 (1.05 bar and 273 K) among the obtained polymers. All of the polymers show high isosteric heats of CO2 adsorption (25.5-35.1 kJ mol-1), and from single component adsorption isotherms, IAST-derived ideal CO2/N2 (28.7-53.8), CO2/CH4 (4.6-5.2) and CH4/N2 (5.7-10.5) selectivity. Furthermore, N4CMPs exhibit the high CO2 adsorption capacity of 542-800 mg g-1 at 318 K and 50 bar pressure. These data indicate that these materials are a promising potential for clean energy application and environmental field.

A Pyridoindole-Based Multifunctional Bioprobe: pH-Induced Fluorescence Switching and Specific Targeting of Lipid Droplets

A versatile fluorescent probe, PITE, based on alkyl-substituted pyridoindole (PI) and tetraphenylethylene (TE), which exhibits facile pH-induced fluorescence switching in solution, as nanoparticles, and in the solid state, is presented. Strong fluorescence in the solid state, as well as in solution and the aggregated state, allow sensing of toxic acid vapors. Fluorescence "off-on" switching of PITE through exposure to trifluoroacetic acid and triethylamine vapor is visualized by the naked eye. A unified picture of the switchable fluorescence of PITE is obtained by comprehensive spectroscopic investigations coupled with quantum mechanical calculations. Strong fluorescence, a large Stokes shift, high photostability, and biocompatibility of PITE make it a viable probe for subcellular imaging. Extensive fluorescence microscopic studies by employing organisms including lower and higher eukaryotes reveal specific localization of PITE to lipid droplets (LDs). LDs are dynamic subcellular organelles linked to various physiological processes and human diseases. Hence, the specific detection of LDs in diverse organisms is important to biomedical research and healthcare. Isolation of LDs and subsequent colocalization studies ascertain selective targeting of LDs by the easily affordable, lipophilic bioprobe, PITE. Thus, PITE is a promising multifunctional probe for chemosensing and the selective tracking of LDs.

Iron Nanoclusters as Template/Activator for the Synthesis of Nitrogen Doped Porous Carbon and Its CO2 Adsorption Application

We propose a facile synthesis approach for nitrogen doped porous carbon and demonstrate a novel pore-forming method that iron nanoclusters act as a template or activator at different carbonization temperatures based on Fe³⁺-poly(4-vinyipyridine) (P4VP) coordination. P4VP will completely decompose even in an inert atmosphere, but under the coordination and catalysis of Fe³⁺, it can be converted to carbon at a very low temperature (400 °C). The aggregation of iron nanoclusters in the carbonization process showed different pore-forming methods at different temperatures. The as-prepared materials possess high specific surface area (up to 1211 m² g^-1), large pore volume (up to 0.96 cm³ g^-1), narrow microporosity, and high N content (up to 9.9 wt %). Due to these unique features, the materials show high CO₂ uptake capacity and excellent selectivity for CO₂/N₂ separation. The CO₂ uptake capacity of NDPC-2-600 is up to 6.8 and 4.3 mmol g^-1 at 0 and 25 °C; the CO₂/N₂ (0.15/0.85) selectivity at 0 and 25 °C also reaches 18.4 and 15.2, respectively.

Microporous organic polymers involving thiadiazolopyridine for high and selective uptake of greenhouse gases at low pressure

Thiadiazolopyridine-based microporous organic polymers were shown to exhibit a remarkably high uptake of CO₂ of 5.8 mmol g⁻¹ at 273 K and 1 bar.

Design and preparation of porous polymer particles with polydopamine coating and selective enrichment for biomolecules

Pore size distribution of novel gigaporous polymer particles were visualized characterization by laser scanning confocal microscopy, and this gigaporous materials had preferable selective enrichment performance for biomolecules.

A soluble conjugated porous organic polymer: efficient white light emission in solution, nanoparticles, gel and transparent thin film

A multifunctional, solution processable, ultramicroporous polymer employed for white light emission in solution, nanoparticles, a gel and a transparent thin film.