Porous Triptycene Network Based on Tröger's Base for CO2 Capture and Iodine Enrichment

A three-dimensional rigid "six-connected" porous triptycene network based on Tröger's base (TB-PTN) was synthesized by using triptycenes as connectors and Tröger's base as linkers. With characteristics of a high surface area of 1528 m² g^-1, nitrogen-enriched groups, and superior thermal stability, TB-PTN displays a high CO₂ uptake of 22.3 wt % (273 K, 1 bar) and excellent iodine vapor adsorption (240 wt %).

Conjugated Porous Polydiaminophenylsulfone-Triazine Polymer-A High-Performance Anode for Li-Ion Batteries

Organic compounds are promising electrode materials because of their resource sustainability, environmental friendliness, and highly tailorable properties. The porous conjugated polymer shows great potential as an electrode material for its tunable redox nature, conjugated skeleton, and porous structure. Herein, a novel conjugated porous polymer, polydiaminophenylsulfone-triazine, was synthesized by a simple nucleophilic substitution reaction. The conjugated structure and triazine ring can improve the conductivity, charge-transfer efficiency, and physicochemical stability. Also, the porous polymeric framework shows a large specific surface area and high porosity, providing a large contact area with electrolytes and reducing diffusion distance. The polymer demonstrates highly stable cycling performance and good rate capability as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, suggesting a promising strategy to design a competitive electrode material.

Atomistic structure generation of covalent triazine-based polymers by molecular simulation

The structures of amorphous materials are generally difficult to characterize and comprehend due to their unordered nature and indirect measurement techniques. However, molecular simulation has been considered as an alternative method that can provide molecular-level information supplementary to experimental techniques. In this work, a new approach for modelling the atomistic structures of amorphous covalent triazine-based polymers is proposed and employed on two experimentally synthesized covalent triazine-based polymers. To examine the proposed modelling approach, the properties of the established models, such as surface areas, pore volumes, structure factors and N₂ adsorption isotherms, were calculated and compared with the experimental data. Excellent consistencies were observed between the simulated models and experimental samples, consequently validating the proposed models and the modelling approach. Moreover, the proposed modelling approach can be applied to new covalent triazine-based polymers for predictive purposes and to provide design strategies for future synthesis works.

A well-established modelling approach to construct and predict the structures of amorphous covalent triazine-based polymers is proposed.

Adamantane-Based Micro- and Ultra-Microporous Frameworks for Efficient Small Gas and Toxic Organic Vapor Adsorption

Microporous organic polymers and related porous materials have been applied in a wide range of practical applications such as adsorption, catalysis, adsorption, and sensing fields. However, some limitations, like wide pore size distribution, may limit their further applications, especially for adsorption. Here, micro- and ultra-microporous frameworks (HBPBA-D and TBBPA-D) were designed and synthesized via Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling of six/eight-arm bromophenyl adamantane-based “knots” and alkynes-type “rod” monomers. The BET surface area and pore size distribution of these frameworks were in the region of 395–488 m² g⁻¹, 0.9–1.1 and 0.42 nm, respectively. The as-made prepared frameworks also showed good chemical ability and high thermal stability up to 350 °C, and at 800 °C only 30% mass loss was observed. Their adsorption capacities for small gas molecules such as CO₂ and CH₄ was 8.9–9.0 wt % and 1.43–1.63 wt % at 273 K/1 bar, and for the toxic organic vapors n-hexane and benzene, 104–172 mg g⁻¹ and 144–272 mg g⁻¹ at 298 K/0.8 bar, respectively. These are comparable to many porous polymers with higher BET specific surface areas or after functionalization. These properties make the resulting frameworks efficient absorbent alternatives for small gas or toxic vapor capture, especially in harsh environments.

Matrimid-JUC-62 and Matrimid-PCN-250 mixed matrix membranes displaying light-responsive gas separation and beneficial ageing characteristics for CO2/N2 separation

The performance of two generation-3 light-responsive metal-organic framework (MOF), namely JUC-62 and PCN-250, was investigated in a mixed matrix membrane (MMM) form. Both of them were incorporated inside the matrimid as the polymer matrix. Using our custom-designed membrane testing cell, it was observed that the MMMs showed up to 9% difference in CO₂ permeability between its pristine and UV-irradiated condition. This shows that the light-responsive ability of the light-responsive MOFs could still be maintained. Thus, this finding is applicable in designing a smart material. Apart from that, the MMMs also has the potential to be applied for post-combustion carbon capture. At loadings up to 15 wt%, both CO₂ permeability and CO₂/N₂ ideal selectivity could be significantly improved and surpassed the value exhibited by most of the MOF-matrimid MMM. Lastly the long term performance of the MMM was also evaluated and it was observed that both MMM could maintain their performance up to 1 month with only a slight decrease in CO₂ permeability observed for 10 wt% PCN-250-matrimid. This study then opens up the possibility to fabricate a novel anti-aging multifunctional membrane material that is applicable as a smart material and also in post combustion carbon capture applications.

The effect of molecular structure and fluorination on the properties of pyrene-benzothiadiazole-based conjugated polymers for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution

The linear non-fluorinated polymer L-PyBT exhibited an impressive hydrogen evolution rate up to 83.7 μmol h⁻¹ under visible light irradiation.

Synthesis of thermochemically stable tetraphenyladamantane-based microporous polymers as gas storage materials

In view of environmental pollution control and purification of natural gases, developing ideal porous materials for small gas molecule (hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide) capture is an important, pressing challenge.