Covalent organic frameworks: linkage types, synthetic methods and bio-related applications

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are composed of small organic molecules linked via covalent bonds, which have tunable mesoporous structure, good biocompatibility and functional diversities. These excellent properties make COFs a promising candidate for constructing biomedical nanoplatforms and provide ample opportunities for nanomedicine development. A systematic review of the linkage types and synthesis methods of COFs is of indispensable value for their biomedical applications. In this review, we first summarize the types of various linkages of COFs and their corresponding properties. Then, we highlight the reaction temperature, solvent and reaction time required by different synthesis methods and show the most suitable synthesis method by comparing the merits and demerits of various methods. To appreciate the cutting-edge research on COFs in bioscience technology, we also summarize the bio-related applications of COFs, including drug delivery, tumor therapy, bioimaging, biosensing and antimicrobial applications. We hope to provide insight into the interdisciplinary research on COFs and promote the development of COF nanomaterials for biomedical applications and their future clinical translations.

Nickel Nanoparticles Immobilized over Mesoporous SBA-15 for Efficient Carbonylative Coupling Reactions Utilizing CO2: A Spotlight

Ecofriendly routes for the synthesis of carbamates and carbonylative coupling products such as benzyl formate derivatives are very demanding for both academia and industries. Foreseeing a sustainable green future, we systematically analyzed the synthesis history of both these chemicals, mentioning their pros and cons. As a step towards green chemistry, here we have optimized the reaction conditions for the synthesis of various benzyl formates from corresponding benzyl halides and carbamates from substituted anilines and alkyl halides catalyzed by Ni(0) nanoparticles (NPs) immobilized over amine-functionalized ordered mesoporous SBA-15 material in the presence of CO₂ as C1 source. This spotlight on applications is aimed to provide a clear outlook to date regarding the gradual progress in the synthesis of both these aforementioned chemicals and finally addresses further efforts for overcoming the current challenges.

Transformation of Wurtzite ZnO to a New Triclinic Nanoporous ZnO Phase via Hydrothermal Treatment with Metformin for Designing Proton Conducting Material

Zinc oxide is one of the most widely studied semiconductor metal oxides, which predominantly crystallizes as hexagonal wurtzite and often cubic zinc-blende phases. Here we report the transformation of the highly stable wurtzite ZnO to a new triclinic phase NZO-2 by using metformin as a template during post-synthesis hydrothermal treatment. This crystalline phase of the material NZO-2 has been identified through the refinement of the powder XRD data. NZO-2 possesses porous rod like particle morphology consisting of the self-assembly of 3-7 nm size spherical nanoparticles and interparticle nanoscopic voids spaces. NZO-2 has been surface phosphorylated and the resulting material displayed good proton conductivity. Further, NZO-2 displayed ultra-low band gap of 1.74 eV, thereby responsible for red emission under high energy laser excitation and this may open new opportunities in optoelectronic application of ZnO.

A novel crystalline nanoporous iron phosphonate based metal–organic framework as an efficient anode material for lithium ion batteries

A new Fe-MOF prepared by using a tetraphosphonic acid as a ligand is reported and it showed high specific capacity and excellent recycling efficiency in lithium-ion batteries.

Synthesis of mesoporous lanthanum hydroxide with enhanced adsorption performance for phosphate removal

Phosphate is a ubiquitous pollutant in aquatic systems, and increasingly stringent post-treatment phosphate effluent standards necessitate increasingly efficient removal techniques. In this study, mesoporous lanthanum hydroxide (MLHO) was synthesized by a hard-template method using ordered mesoporous silica, and its potential as an adsorbent for high-efficiency phosphate removal in aqueous solutions was tested. The porosity characteristics of MLHOs were controlled by adjusting the template structure and synthesis conditions. MLHO adsorbents showed great potential for phosphate removal from solutions containing both high and low initial phosphate concentrations. The phosphate adsorption capacity of MLHO strongly depended on its surface area as this process was governed by monolayer adsorption. Moreover, the phosphate removal performance of MLHO was affected by its structural properties. MLHO showed a high adsorption capacity of 109.41 mg P g⁻¹ at 28 °C (q_m by the Langmuir isotherm model). Further, it showed ultrafast adsorption in a solution with low initial concentration of 2 mg P/L; within the first 10 min, 99.8% of phosphate was removed, and the phosphorus concentration remaining in the solution dramatically reduced to 4 μg P/L. These findings suggest that MLHO adsorbent is a good candidate for rapid and efficient low-concentration phosphate removal to meet the increasingly stringent discharge standards for wastewater treatment plants.

MLHO exhibited outstanding phosphate removal performance with a high adsorption capacity as well as efficient removal in low P concentrations.