Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Framework with a Naphthalene Moiety as a Sensitive Phosphate Ion Sensing

The syntheses of the flexible TAPDA-based covalent organic frameworks utilized for capturing iodine and fluorescence sensing 2,4-dinitrophenol

The hexa(4-formyl-phenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene (NOP-6--CHO) and 2,4,6-tris(4-formylphenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT-3-CHO) are common knots of the flexible covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which may undergo Schiff base reaction with diamide and ternary amine, but with no examples of quaternary amine. Herein, we chose quaternary amine -- N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)-1,4-phenylenediamine (TAPDA) to react with NOP-6-CHO and TPT-3-CHO to synthesize flexible TAPDA-based COFs (HTAPDA and TTAPDA) for the first time. The flexible TAPDA-based COFs have flexible units and 3D triangular or 2D hexagonal pores which make the pores nimble and self-adaptable abilities. Delightly, the flexible TAPDA-based COFs have the high BET-specific surface areas of 1103 and 1048 m2/g and show some crystallization and high thermal stability. They can adsorp I2 in both the gaseous phases (4.08 and 3.80 g g-1 at 77 K) and the solution. The flexible TAPDA-based COFs possess excellent fluorescent properties whether at dispersion or solid states and may be used for fluorescent sensing 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) with high selectivity and sensitivity (KSV: 2.49 × 104 and 2.36 × 104 L mol-1). Fluorescence quenching of the flexible TAPDA-based COFs is observed upon coaction of photo-induced electron transfer process and fluorescence resonance energy transfer process.

3D Silsesquioxane Cage-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks Enabling Efficient Ion Transport in Quasi-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

The resurgence of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) necessitates advancements in electrolyte engineering to regulate ion transport and manipulate interfacial characteristics. Noteworthy strategies encompass the development of high-efficiency lithium-ion conductors for quasi-solid-state composite electrolytes. In this context, two crystalline 3D COFs are presented that are thoughtfully designed by selecting decasilsesquioxane (T10) cage building blocks and linear linkers to open up efficient ion-conducting pathways. The cage silsesquioxane-knotted COFs (CSQ-COFs) feature densely interconnected pore channels and a multimodal pore size distribution, which gives them the potential to function as ionic conductors. In addition, the dissociation of electrolyte salts by the silsesquioxane framework, along with the strong adsorption of anions, synergistically enhances ion transport. The coin cell assembled with CSQ-COF displays an ionic conductivity of 0.727 mS cm-1 at 80 °C, an Ea of 0.12 eV, and tLi+ of 0.83. Therefore, Li symmetrical cell demonstrates excellent Li plating/stripping behaviors for 600 h under 0.5 mA cm-2. The Li/LiFePO4 cell containing the CSQ-COF solid-state electrolyte delivers an initial discharge capacity of ≈159.6 mAh g-1 at a rate of 0.5 C at room temperature with excellent capacity retention after 150 cycles. This work provides a novel insight on the development of 3D COF ionic conductors.

Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) with Triphenylamine Based Metal-Free Conjugated Porous Organic Polymers (POPs)

At present time the ever-increasing demand for clean energy can only be met by renewable and green energy sources. One of the alternatives is the easy production and supply of hydrogen as an energy source. As an attempt to provide an alternate strategy for hydrogen production from easily available sources under mild conditions, novel metal-free conjugated porous organic polymers (POPs) named tris(4-aminophenyl)amine-OMe (TPA-OMe) and tris(4-aminophenyl)amine-NO2 (TPA-NO2) which act as electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic hydrogen production and exhibit excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with the overpotential (η10) of 353 and 430 mV, respectively, at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 and low Tafel slope, are judiciously designed and synthesized. The electrocatalytic stability of the catalysts is excellent in the acidic electrolyte (0.5 m H2SO4) up to the 500th cycle, and a reduction of overpotential has also been observed. In chronoamperometry analysis, the current density remains constant up to 12 h which shows the excellent durability of the catalysts. The successful studies for the production of hydrogen gas and the catalytic activities of the aforementioned electrocatalysts (TPA-OMe, TPA-NO2) are reported.

Functionalization of Polycaprolactone 3D Scaffolds with Hyaluronic Acid Glycine-Peptide Conjugates and Endothelial Cell Adhesion

This study enhances the bioactivity of polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds for tissue engineering by functionalizing them with oxidized hyaluronic acid glycine-peptide conjugates to improve endothelial cell adhesion and growth. Hyaluronic acid was conjugated with a glycine-peptide to create a bioactive interface on PCL (static water contact angle, SCA(H2O): 98°). The scaffolds were fabricated using a melt extrusion 3D printing technique. The HA-glycine peptide conjugates were oxidized and immobilized on aminolyzed PCL via Schiff-base chemistry, introducing hydrophilicity (SCA(H2O): 21°), multiple functional groups, and a negative zeta potential (-12.04 mV at pH 7.4). A quartz crystal microbalance confirmed chemical conjugation and quantified the mass (8.5-10.3 mg m-2) of oxidized HA-glycine on PCL. The functionalized scaffolds showed enhanced swelling, improved mechanical properties (2-fold increase in strength, from 26 to 51 MPa), and maintained integrity during degradation. In-vitro experiments demonstrated improved endothelial cell adhesion, proliferation and viability, suggesting the potential for vascularized tissue constructs.

Triazine-Functionalized Nitrogen-Rich Covalent Organic Framework as an Electrode Material for Aqueous Symmetric Supercapacitor

Covalent triazine frameworks, with their ordered pores and crystalline structure that exhibit heteroatom impacts, demonstrate outstanding chemical stability, making them designable for charge storage applications. In this study, the triazine-based covalent organic frameworks (TPT@BDA-COF) was synthesized using 4',4''',4'''''-(1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triyl) tris (([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-amine)) (TPT) and 4,4'-Oxydibenzaldehyde (BDA) following polycondensation process. Interestingly, these resulted in the fabrication of a well-connected, orderly porous crystalline structure, redox-active moiety, and significantly high doping atomic percentages of N (~13.6 %). The three-electrode electrochemical study, showed a stable electrochemical potential window of 1.8 V (-0.45 to +1.35) in 1 M NaClO4 electrolyte, it exhibited a high specific capacitance of 92.6 mF/cm2 with a high energy density 41.7 Wh/kg respectively. The symmetric supercapacitor designed using TPT@BDA-COF as both anode and cathode exhibited high specific capacitance (F/g) and gravimetric energy density (Wh/kg): 17.8, 36.9, 43.7, 47.7 and 3.5, 16.6, 13.7, 21.6 in 1 M CH3COONa, 1 M Na2SO4, 1 M NaNO3, 1 M NaClO4 electrolyte respectively. It showed excellent cyclic stability (105.2 %), and Coulombic efficiency (97.5 %) even after 10 k GCD cycles in 1 M NaClO4 at 2 A/g. Interestingly, ClO4 - anions exhibited a better chaotropic nature (water structure breaker) as compared to CH3COO-, SO4 -2, and NO3 -. Their energy storage competence is supported by the illumination of 1 white and 1 red LED upon charging a single SSC for 50 sec each. A Quantum Mechanics (QM) calculation and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation are performed to investigate and validate the stability of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). DFT calculations were carried out using the SCF approach B3LYP-631G(d) basis set to compute the HOMO and LUMO energies and their respective location in COF.

Fabrication of organic/inorganic reactive composites for fast removal of arsenic species from groundwater systems

This study investigates the catalytic potential of anionic MnO2 nanosheets (Mn), a cationic covalent organic Framework (COF), and their composites (CM, C2M, and CM2) with varying Mn weight percentages for arsenic removal from groundwater. The catalysts were used as activators of sodium sulfite (SS) under light conditions, enabling the pre-oxidation of arsenic (III) (As3) to arsenic(V) (As5), followed by the adsorption of As5 for complete arsenic removal from water. The Mn-COF-SS systems (C2M, CM, CM2) exhibited superior performance compared to Mn and COF alone, highlighting the dual functionality of the composites as both oxidizing agents and effective adsorbents for arsenic species. Among the composites, CM2 with 32 wt% Mn demonstrates exceptional efficiency, achieving 99.99 % arsenic removal within 30 min. The sorption process in a batch reactor was pH-dependent, with sulfate radicals (SO4-) and electrostatic interactions playing key roles in As3 oxidation and As5 removal, respectively. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was found to be the dominant model for the sorption process, and the sorption process was compatible with the Freundlich isotherm model, which indicates a multilayer adsorption process of arsenic species on CM2. The practical application of CM2 in a fixed-bed reactor showed its high efficiency for arsenic removal, achieving the contaminant level below 10 ppb as recommended by WHO. This project highlights the potential of CM2 as an effective catalyst for arsenic removal, offering a promising approach to mitigating arsenic contamination in water sources.

Molecular Probe for Specific Recognition of TKX-50: 'Luminescence-ON' Response and its Integration to a Smart Device for Surveillance

In response to the growing concerns about the unauthorized use of advanced secondary explosives such as TKX-50 against non-combatant targets, there is an urgent need for effective detection methods or techniques to ensure efficient security screening, homeland security, and public safety. Herein, a new polymeric receptor (IV) derived from functionalized tetraphenylethylene moiety (TPE) and 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TAPB)  moieties for the efficient detection of TKX-50 through a 'switch ON' luminescence response upon specific binding to the explosive, is reported. The observed 'luminescence ON' response is rationalized based on a charge transfer complex formation between TKX-50 and the polymeric receptor IV (Ka = 1.7 × 104 m-1). This is validated by the steady and excited-state luminescence studies, along with detailed computational studies. The authors' presumptions are further validated with adequate control studies using an appropriate monomeric derivative (III) of TPE. Moreover, this 'luminescence ON' response can be integrated into a smart and user-friendly Internet of Things (IoT)-based prototype device. This device can effectively convert optical responses into digital output to develop an optical device for real-time detection of TKX-50 in solution. This lightweight, portable device is ideally suited for remote surveillance and monitoring of TKX-50; such examples are rare in contemporary literature.

A comparative study of Cu-based nanoparticles and their spin-coated films: photocatalytic degradation mechanisms and efficiencies towards malachite green and neutral red azo dyes

In this work, a comparison of the photocatalytic activity of free-standing Cu-based nanoparticle mixtures and spin-coated nanoparticle films under visible-light radiation is conducted. Herein, Cu2O, Cu2O-Cu, Cu2O-Cu3N-Cu, and Cu3N-Cu nanoparticle mixtures were successfully synthesized by a non-aqueous sol-gel route and then deposited on a glass substrate by spin-coating. The surface chemistry of the nanoparticles studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) allowed elucidating the nanoparticle synthesis mechanism. The UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy illustrates that photocatalytic activity is attributed to the high specific surface of the nanoparticles and their wider absorption range region from 500 to 1100 nm. Unlike the free-standing photocatalysts, the photocatalytic effect of spin-coated nanoparticle films enabled their facile reclamation, which solves a key issue for practical applications of the photocatalysts. The photocatalytic performances on neutral red and malachite green organic dyes were influenced by the type of visible light sources, i.e., solar simulator and natural sunlight. The results indicate that photodegradation efficiency is the highest for Cu2O nanoparticles, reaching values of 82% for neutral red and 94% for malachite green. We also demonstrate that the degradation of cationic neutral red undergoes a photoconversion to its neutral form during the degradation process, which in turn, lowers its degradation efficiency. On the other hand, higher degradation efficiency was observed on malachite green owing to its unique cationic form, soluble in aqueous solutions.

Near-IR absorbing tetraene-linked π-conjugated porous polymers for energy storage and electrical conductivity

Tetraene-linked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based CMPs were developed via Knoevenagel condensation of ditopic active hydrogen containing DPP with tritopic aryl aldehydes. The "tetra-ene" π-arrangement in the molecular framework promotes uninterrupted π-delocalization, resulting in near-infrared (NIR) absorption (∼red edge of 1200 nm), high electrical conductivity in the pristine (10-3 S m-1) and doped states (0.2 S m-1), and moderate energy storage (70 F g-1).

Carbazole and Triazine-Based D-A Covalent Organic Framework for Visible Light-Mediated Photocatalytic C-H Activation of Imidazopyridine and Indole

Two-dimensional donor-acceptor covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show considerable promise for metal-free and heterogeneous photocatalysis due to their efficient charge carrier separation and exciton transport upon photoexcitation. To date, numerous photocatalysts have been developed. However, they encounter several challenges, such as inadequate sunlight harvesting ability, poor photostability, and nonreusability. Fortunately, the emergence of COFs presents a promising solution to these problems. Herein, we report an imine-linked CzTA-TAPT COF featuring carbazole as the electron donor and triazine as the electron acceptor. Compared to the previously reported C2-linker-derived CzDA-TAPT COF, this C3-linked COF exhibits good charge separation and charge carrier transport. As a consequence, it demonstrates excellent photocatalytic applicability in the C-3 thiocyanation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and indole under ambient conditions under visible light. Moreover, its broad substrate compatibility and high recyclability provide a green and sustainable approach for the thiocyanation of imidazopyridine and indole. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first heterogeneous catalyst demonstrated for the thiocyanation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine. These findings will inspire further research in the development of high-performance D-A COFs as photocatalysts for organic transformations.

Orientation-Dependent Photocatalysis of Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks Based on Thienothiophenes for Oxidation of Amines to Imines

Toward visible light photocatalysis, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have recently garnered growing attention. The effect of different orientations of imine of imine-linked COFs on photocatalysis should be elucidated. Here, two COFs are developed with 2,5-diphenylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DPTT) and 1,3,6,8-tetraphenylpyrene (Py) linked by imine, affording DPTT-Py-COF and Py-DPTT-COF, respectively. Distinctly, DPTT-Py-COF and Py-DPTT-COF have high crystallinity and porosity, paving the way to highly efficient photocatalysis. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that both DPTT-Py-COF and Py-DPTT-COF are of similar bandgaps but of varied energy positions due to the different orientations of imine. Besides, characterizations disclose that DPTT-Py-COF delivers more enhanced charge separation and transfer than Py-DPTT-COF. Probed by the oxidation of amine to imine, DPTT-Py-COF exhibits a blue light photocatalytic performance superior to that of Py-DPTT-COF. DPTT-Py-COF, a highly recyclable photocatalyst, enables the oxidation of various amines to imines with oxygen. This work highlights that tuning the microenvironment of COFs unravels tenable performances in photocatalysis.

Expanding limits of artificial enzymes: unprecedented catalysis by an oxidase nanozyme in activating a structural protein for covalent crosslinking and conferring remarkable proteolytic resistance

Nature has endowed us with some complex enzymes capable of utilizing proteins as their substrates to generate functional proteins through post-translational modification. However, nanozymes' interplay with proteins as substrates is scarce, with their chemistry predominantly established using only small molecule substrates, featuring a significant gap in this area. Due to the huge prospects of nanozymes in biotechnological and therapeutic interventions, studies establishing the unexplored roles of nanozymes in the biological environments and their interplay beyond small molecule substrates warrant immediate attention. In this study, we unveil the unprecedented role of a Mn-based oxidase nanozyme (MnN) in activating a structural protein, collagen, and covalently crosslinking its tyrosine residues with only a trace amount of tannic acid (TA) without compromising its triple-helical structural integrity. While therapeutic applications demand materials prepared from collagen, the current chemical and physical crosslinking of collagen often presents significant challenges such as toxicity, denaturation, or high costs. MnN lucidly accomplishes crosslinking interplay at its 101 facets using oxygen as a co-substrate under mild conditions. This process takes advantage of MnN being active at mild acidic pH where collagen preferentially exists as a soluble triple helix (monomeric form), exposing functionalities and enhancing the crosslinking degree. Importantly, this reaction also confers 100% resistance to collagenase attack on the collagen tendon-derived biological material. The catalyzed TA-tyrosine linkage in the telopeptide region of collagen probably impedes the initial recognition step of collagenase, providing robust protection against its degradative action. Our study not only expands the repertoire of nanozymes' substrates beyond the existing library of small molecules but also establishes a significant step toward designing a gold standard for collagen crosslinking. With biomedical applications demanding biomaterials derived from protein scaffolds with preserved structural integrity, our investigation bridges the gap between nanozymes' chemistry and crosslinking proteins, opening exciting prospects for biomaterial development.

Characterization of a conjugate between poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) and a triazine-based covalent organic framework as a potential biomaterial

Thermoresponsive polymers (TRPs) have been explored over decades for biomedical applications, and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL) TRP is extensively investigated due to its low toxicity and lower critical solution temperature (LCST), close to physiological temperatures. Besides this, the utilization of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which belong to a class of porous polymers, in bio-based applications is of great interest due to their remarkable properties. Thus, the integration of PVCL and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as conjugate materials can lead to advanced bio-based applications; however, the need is to understand the influence of the COF on the PVCL conformation. Herein, a triazine-based COF, CC-TAPT-COF, has been synthesized and completely characterized. Later, the effect of CC-TAPT-COF on the PVCL polymer conformation was studied using various techniques. In fluorescence spectroscopy, a fluorescence quenching for PVCL in the presence of CC-TAPT-COF was observed, which indicated conformational changes. Later, results from thermal fluorescence studies and dynamic light scattering as a function of temperature showed a slight decrease in LCST value for PVCL after the addition of CC-TAPT-COF concentrations. These results showed a slight effect of CC-TAPT-COF on the PVCL conformation. Likewise, a slight decrease in the transmittance value for specific bands in infrared spectra showed a slight effect of CC-TAPT-COF on the PVCL conformation. Further, results from electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed a conjugate formation between PVCL and CC-TAPT-COF due to the presence of binding interactions between them. Overall, the results from several studies showed a slight effect of CC-TAPT-COF on the PVCL during conjugate formation between PVCL and CC-TAPT-COF. This study will be beneficial for the development of COF-thermoresponsive polymer conjugates with a mixture of their unique features as advanced biomaterials.

Site-Selective Zn-Metalation in Poly-Triphenyl Amine-based Porous Organic Polymer for Solid-Gas Phase CO2 Photoreduction

Harvesting solar energy to produce value-added chemicals from carbon dioxide (CO2) presents a promising route for addressing the complexities of sustainable energy systems and environmental issues. In this context, the development of metal-coordinated porous organic polymers (POPs) offers a vital avenue for improving the photocatalytic performance of organic motifs. The current study presents a metal-integrated photocatalytic system (namely, Zn@BP-POP) developed via a one-pot Friedel-Crafts (F.C.) acylation strategy, for solid-gas phase photochemical CO2 reduction to CO (CO2RR). The postsynthetic incorporation of metal (Zn) active sites on the host polymeric backbone of BP-POP significantly influences the catalytic activity. Notably, Zn@BP-POP demonstrates good photocatalytic performance in the absence of any cocatalyst and photosensitizer yielding CO while impeding the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water. The experimental findings collectively propose that the observed catalytic activity and selectivity arise from the synergistic interplay between the singular zinc catalytic centers and the light-harvesting capacity of the highly conjugated polymeric backbone. Further, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis has significantly highlighted the prominent role played by the ZnN2O4 single sites in the polymeric framework for activating the gaseous CO2 molecules. Further, time-dependent density functional theory (DFT) analysis also reveals the thermodynamic feasibility of CO2RR over HER under optimized reaction conditions. This work cumulatively presents an effective strategy to demonstrate the importance of metal-active sites and effectively establish their structure-activity relationship during photocatalysis.

Fluorescent chemosensors facilitate the visualization of plant health and their living environment in sustainable agriculture

Globally, 91% of plant production encounters diverse environmental stresses that adversely affect their growth, leading to severe yield losses of 50-60%. In this case, monitoring the connection between the environment and plant health can balance population demands with environmental protection and resource distribution. Fluorescent chemosensors have shown great progress in monitoring the health and environment of plants due to their high sensitivity and biocompatibility. However, to date, no comprehensive analysis and systematic summary of fluorescent chemosensors used in monitoring the correlation between plant health and their environment have been reported. Thus, herein, we summarize the current fluorescent chemosensors ranging from their design strategies to applications in monitoring plant-environment interaction processes. First, we highlight the types of fluorescent chemosensors with design strategies to resolve the bottlenecks encountered in monitoring the health and living environment of plants. In addition, the applications of fluorescent small-molecule, nano and supramolecular chemosensors in the visualization of the health and living environment of plants are discussed. Finally, the major challenges and perspectives in this field are presented. This work will provide guidance for the design of efficient fluorescent chemosensors to monitor plant health, and then promote sustainable agricultural development.

Dynamic Insights into the Growth Mechanisms of 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks on Graphene Surfaces

Producing high-quality two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is crucial for industrial applications. However, this remains significantly challenging with current synthetic techniques. A deep understanding of the intermolecular interactions, reaction temperature, and oligomers is essential to facilitate the growth of highly crystalline COF films. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to explore the growth of 2D COFs from monomer assemblies on graphene. Our results showed that chain growth reactions dominated the COF surface growth and that van der Waals (vdW) interactions were important in enhancing the crystallinity through monomer preorganization. Moreover, appropriately tuning the reaction temperature improved the COF crystallinity and minimized the effects of amorphous oligomers. Additionally, the strength of the interface between the COF and the graphene substrate indicated that the adhesion force was proportional to the crystallinity of the COF. This work reveals the mechanisms for nucleation and growth of COFs on surfaces and provides theoretical guidance for fabricating high-quality 2D polymer-based crystalline nanomaterials.

Anthracene-based dual channel donor-acceptor triazine-containing covalent organic frameworks for superior photoelectrochemical sensing

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) exhibit excellent photoelectrically active structures and serve as channels for photon capture and charge carrier transport. However, their relatively high charge-carrier recombination rates and lack of specific recognition sites limit their application in photoelectrochemical sensing. This paper reports a functionalized donor-acceptor (D-A) COF comprising electron-rich polycyclic aromatic moieties and electron-deficient triazines (Tz) incorporating boronic acid through ligand exchange. The number of aromatic rings in the polycyclic aromatic moiety is crucial for establishing an efficient D-A system within COF. In the absence of an external electron donor, the anthracene-based COF exhibited a five-fold enhancement in photocurrent compared to the naphthalene-based COF. The resulting anthracene-based D-A COF exhibited enhanced orbital overlap and electron push-pull interactions, facilitating more effective charge separation. Furthermore, introducing boronic acid enabled the selective enrichment of low-concentration external electron donors, such as dopamine, in the inner Helmholtz plane. This ingenious approach establishes a unique dual-channel D-A system that allows direct measurement of dopamine in serum. Under optimized conditions, the test platform achieves good correspondence for dopamine at 1 to 100 nM and 0.5 to 100 μM with a detecting limit of 0.36 nM (3σ/S, n = 11). This strategy introduces a novel dimension to photoelectrochemical sensing, focusing on the effect of spatial separation between the external electron donor and the photoelectrode interface that intricately shapes the behavior and enhances the performance of the photoelectric system.

Photostimulus-Responsive Peptide Dot-Centered Covalent Organic Polymers: Effective Pesticide Sensing via Enhancing Accessibility

Pesticide detection and monitoring are necessary for human health as the overapplication has serious consequences for environmental pollution. Herein, a proper modulation strategy was implemented to construct the photostimulus-responsive peptide-dot-centered covalent organic polymer (P-PCOP) nanoarchitecture for selective sensing of pesticides. The as-constructed P-PCOP was prepared at room temperature by using amino-containing peptide dots as a building block instead of common organic molecules, and the merits of P-PCOP enable it to reduce the steric hindrance of recognition, enhance the interfacial contact of the target, and facilitate the accessibility of sites, which promises to improve the sensitivity. The P-PCOF exhibited a low detection limit of 0.38 μg L-1 to cartap over the range of 1-80 μg L-1 (R2 = 0.9845), and the recoveries percentage in real samples was estimated to be 93.39-105.82%. More importantly, the DFT calculation confirmed the selective recognition ability of P-PCOP on chemical pesticides. In conjunction with a smartphone-integrated portable reading device, on-site chemical sensing is achieved. The proper modulation strategy of fixing a functional guest on the COP system contributes to the advanced structure-chemical properties that are conducive to their applications in chemical sensing.

The Conductance Isotope Effect in Oligophenylene Imine Molecular Wires Depends on the Number and Spacing of 13C-Labeled Phenylene Rings

We report a strong and structurally sensitive 13C intramolecular conductance isotope effect (CIE) for oligophenyleneimine (OPI) molecular wires connected to Au electrodes. Wires were built from Au surfaces beginning with the formation of 4-aminothiophenol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) followed by subsequent condensation reactions with 13C-labeled terephthalaldehyde and phenylenediamine; in these monomers the phenylene rings were either completely 13C-labeled or the naturally abundant 12C isotopologues. Alternatively, perdeuterated versions of terephthalaldehyde and phenylenediamine were employed to make 2H(D)-labeled OPI wires. For 13C-isotopologues of short OPI wires (<4 nm) in length where the charge transport mechanism is tunneling, there was no measurable effect, i.e., 13C CIE ≈ 1, where CIE is defined as the ratio of labeled and unlabeled wire resistances, i.e., CIE = Rheavy/Rlight. However, for long OPI wires >4 nm, in which the transport mechanism is polaron hopping, a strong 13C CIE = 4-5 was observed. A much weaker inverse CIE < 1 was evident for the longest D-labeled wires. Importantly, the magnitude of the 13C CIE was sensitive to the number and spacing of 13C-labeled rings, i.e., the CIE was structurally sensitive. The structural sensitivity is intriguing because it may be employed to understand polaron hopping mechanisms and charge localization/delocalization in molecular wires. A preliminary theoretical analysis explored several possible explanations for the CIE, but so far a fully satisfactory explanation has not been identified. Nevertheless, the latest results unambiguously demonstrate structural sensitivity of the heavy atom CIE, offering directions for further utilization of this interesting effect.

Flexible Linker-Based Triazine-Functionalized 2D Covalent Organic Frameworks for Supercapacitor and Gas Sorption Applications

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) having a large surface area, porosity, and substantial amounts of heteroatom content are recognized as the ideal class of materials for energy storage and gas sorption applications. In this work, we have synthesized four different porous COF materials by the polycondensation of a heteroatom-rich flexible triazine-based trialdehyde linker, namely 2,4,6-tris(4-formylphenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT-CHO), with four different triamine linkers. Triamine linkers were chosen based on differences in size, symmetry, planarity, and heteroatom content, leading to the synthesis of four different COF materials named IITR-COF-1, IITR-COF-2, IITR-COF-3, and IITR-COF-4. IITR-COF-1, synthesized within 24 h from the most planar and largest amine monomer, exhibited the largest Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2830 m2 g-1, superior crystallinity, and remarkable reproducibility compared to the other COFs. All of the synthesized COFs were explored for energy and gas storage applications. It is shown that the surface area and redox-active triazene rings in the materials have a profound effect on energy and gas storage enhancement. In a three-electrode setup, IITR-COF-1 achieved an electrochemical stability potential window (ESPW) of 2.0 V, demonstrating a high specific capacitance of 182.6 F g-1 with energy and power densities of 101.5 Wh kg-1 and 298.3 W kg-1, respectively, at a current density of 0.3 A g-1 in 0.5 M K2SO4 (aq) with long-term durability. The symmetric supercapacitor of IITR-COF-1//IITR-COF-1 exhibited a notable specific capacitance of 30.5 F g-1 and an energy density of 17.0 Wh kg-1 at a current density of 0.12 A g-1. At the same time, it demonstrated 111.3% retention of its initial specific capacitance after 10k charge-discharge cycles. Moreover, it exhibited exceptional CO2 capture capacity of 25.90 and 10.10 wt % at 273 and 298 K, respectively, with 2.1 wt % of H2 storage capacity at 77 K and 1 bar.

Recent progress in chromium removal from wastewater using covalent organic frameworks - A review

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer a pivotal solution to urgently address heavy metal removal from wastewater due to their exceptional attributes such as high adsorption capacity, tunable porosity, controllable energy band structures, superior photocatalytic performance, and high stability-reusability. Despite these advantages, COFs encounter certain challenges, including inefficient utilization of visible light, rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, and limited access to active sites due to close stacking. To enhance the photocatalytic and adsorptive performance of COF-based catalysts, various modification strategies have been reported, with a particular focus on molecular design, structural regulation, and heterostructure engineering. This review comprehensively explores recent advancements in COF-based photocatalytic and adsorptive materials for chromium removal from wastewater, addressing kinetics, mechanisms, and key influencing factors. Additionally, it sheds light on the influence of chemical composition and functional groups of COFs on the efficiency of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] removal.

Heteroatom-Coordinated Palladium Molecular Catalysts for Sustainable Electrochemical Production of Hydrogen Peroxide

Currently, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) manufacturing involves an energy-intensive anthraquinone technique that demands expensive solvent extraction and a multistep process with substantial energy consumption. In this work, we synthesized Pd-N4-CO, Pd-S4-NCO, and Pd-N2O2-C single-atom catalysts via an in situ synthesis approach involving heteroatom-rich ligands and activated carbon under mild reaction conditions. It reveals that palladium atoms interact strongly with heteroatom-rich ligands, which provide well-defined and uniform active sites for oxygen (O2) electrochemically reduced to hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, the Pd-N4-CO electrocatalyst shows excellent performance for the electrocatalytic reduction of O2 to H2O2 via a two-electron transfer process in a base electrolyte, exhibiting a negligible amount of onset overpotential and >95% selectivity within a wide range of applied potentials. The electrocatalysts based on the activity and selectivity toward 2e- ORR follow the order Pd-N4-CO > Pd-N2O2-C > Pd-S4-NCO in agreement with the pull-push mechanism, which is the Pd center strongly coordinated with high electronegativity donor atoms (N and O atoms) and weakly coordinated with the intermediate *OOH to excellent selectivity and sustainable production of H2O2. According to density functional theory, Pd-N4 is the active site for selectivity toward H2O2 generation. This work provides an emerging technique for designing high-performance H2O2 electrosynthesis catalysts and the rational integration of several active sites for green and sustainable chemical synthesis via electrochemical processes.

Water-Mediated Hydrogen Bond Network Drives Highly Crystalline Structure Formation of Crown Ether-Based Covalent Organic Framework for Sr Adsorption

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with crown ether units have drawn great attention due to their potential applications in adsorption, catalysis, and sensing. However, employing crown ethers to construct COFs is still challenging in light of the flexible nature of macrocycles. Here, a highly crystalline one-dimensional covalent organic framework (1D-18C6-COF) with crown ether units on the ribbon edge was synthesized. The water-mediated hydrogen bond network and π-π stacking hold the 1D COF ribbons together. The combination of experimental and DFT studies demonstrated that the hydrogen bond network plays a crucial role in the structure crystallinity. The 1D-18C6-COF was applied as an adsorbent for strontium, and it exhibited rapid kinetics with good selectivity. In the competitive adsorption experiment, a separation factor of 1900 was achieved, representing one of the largest values for cesium/strontium separation. This work provides new insights into the design and functional exploration of crystalline COFs with flexible units.

Hydroxy-Rich Covalent Organic Framework for the Efficient Catalysis of the Cycloaddition of CO2

The cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides to cyclic carbonates is one of the most promising and green pathways for CO2 utilization, and the development of highly efficient catalysts remains a challenge. In this work, a novel hydroxy-rich covalent organic framework (TFPB-DHBD-COF) was synthesized, and it served as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the reaction of CO2 with 1,2-epoxybutane under mild conditions, providing the desired products in 90% conversion. The abundant hydroxy groups in the pore channels of TFPB-DHBD-COF could not only activate epoxides and CO2 via hydrogen bonding but also obviously enhance its stability through intramolecular five-membered ring hydrogen bonding. Thus, this COF also exhibited outstanding stability and tolerance for diverse substrates. Undoubtedly, this work has enriched the application of tailored COFs in the activation and utilization of CO2.

Green and Facile Preparation of Covalent Organic Frameworks Based on Reaction Medium for Advanced Applications

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a new class of crystalline, well-ordered, and porous materials with intermittent constructions, are formed via organic structural parts connected through covalent bonds. These materials have been employed in several fields comprising pollutant adsorption and separation, catalysis, electrical conductivity, gas storage, etc. The preparation of COFs is mainly applied in tubes with high temperatures and degassing treatment. Furthermore, the reaction medium is involved in toxic organic solvents like toluene, dioxane, mesitylene, acetonitrile, and so on. Hence, discovering clean medium and green approaches has attracted wide attention. Recently, facile, less dangerous, and greener methods have been developed for COFs synthesis in diverse applications like performing the reaction at ambient temperature or employing aqueous solvents, ionic liquids, and a mixture of organic solvents/water. This review article summarizes the eco-friendly production approaches of COFs for diverse applications.

Post-synthetic modifications of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for diverse applications

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are porous and crystalline organic polymers, which have found usage in various fields. These frameworks are tailorable through the introduction of diverse functionalities into the platform. Indeed, functionality plays a key role in their different applications. However, sometimes functional groups are not compatible with reaction conditions or can compete and interfere with other groups of monomers in the direct synthetic method. Also, pre-synthesis of bulky moieties in COFs can negatively affect crystal formation. To avoid these problems a post-synthetic modification (PSM) approach is a helpful tactic. Also, with the assistance of this strategy porous size can be tunable and stability can be improved without considerable effect on the crystallite. In addition, conductivity, hydrophobicity/ hydrophilicity, and chirality are among the features that can be reformed with this method. In this review, different types of PSM strategies based on recent articles have been divided into four categories: (i) post-functionalization, (ii) post-metalation, (iii) chemical locking, and (iv) host-guest post-modifications. Post-functionalization and chemical locking methods are based on covalent bond formation while in post-metalation and host-guest post-modifications, non-covalent bonds are formed. Also, the potential of these post-modified COFs in energy storage and conversion (lithium-sulfur batteries, hydrogen storage, proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, and water splitting), heterogeneous catalysts, food safety evaluation, gas separation, environmental domains (greenhouse gas capture, radioactive element uptake, and water remediation), and biological applications (drug delivery, biosensors, biomarker capture, chiral column chromatography, and solid-state smart nanochannels) have been discussed.

Reticular Chemistry for Optical Sensing of Anions

In the last few decades, reticular chemistry has grown significantly as a field of porous crystalline molecular materials. Scientists have attempted to create the ideal platform for analyzing distinct anions based on optical sensing techniques (chromogenic and fluorogenic) by assembling different metal-containing units with suitable organic linking molecules and different organic molecules to produce crystalline porous materials. This study presents novel platforms for anion recognition based on reticular chemistry with high selectivity, sensitivity, electronic tunability, structural recognition, strong emission, and thermal and chemical stability. The key materials for reticular chemistry, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs), and Covalent-Organic Frameworks (COFs), and the pre- and post-synthetic modification of the linkers and the metal oxide clusters for the selective detection of the anions, have been discussed. The mechanisms involved in sensing are also discussed.

Lanthanide Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks Hybrid Materials for Luminescence Responsive Chemical Sensing

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) possess several unique features of structural and functional chemistry, together with other modular photophysical performance, which make them candidates for luminescence responsive chemical sensing. Lanthanide (Ln3+ ) functionalized COFs hybrid materials still keep the parent COFs' virtues and also embody the abundant multiple luminescence response with both COFs and Ln3+ ions or other guest species. In this review, the summary is highlighted on the lanthanide functionalized COFs hybrid materials and their relevant systems for luminescence responsive chemical sensing. It is subdivided into five sections involving the three main topics. Firstly, the basic knowledges of COFs materials related to the luminescence responsive chemical sensing are introduced (including three sections), involving the chemistry, application and post-synthetic modification (PSM) of COFs, the luminescence and luminescence responsive chemical sensing, and the luminescence responsive chemical sensing of non-lanthanide functionalized COFs hybrids materials. Secondly, the systematic progresses are outlined on the lanthanide functionalized COFs hybrid materials in luminescence responsive chemical sensing, which is the emphasis for this review. Finally, the conclusion and prospect are given.

Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Biocompatible and pH-Dependent Carrier for In Vitro Sustained Release of Doxorubicin

Among the novel drug delivery systems (DDSs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show promising features in pharmaceutical science. In this paper, an imine-linked COF with hexagonal topology was synthesized using the autoclave condition. Then, the prepared COF (APB-COF) was used as a pH-dependent carrier for in vitro release of doxorubicin (DOX). The intrinsic properties of APB-COF caused reaching an excellent drug encapsulation efficiency. DOX@APB-COF shows an exemplary pH-dependent release in two different pHs. DOX release at pH = 7.4 was 32%, which increased to 54% by changing the pH to the cancer cell pH (pH = 5.4). Moreover, the cytotoxicity of APB-COF and DOX@APB-COF was studied using the standard MTT test against MCF10 (normal breast cell line) and MDAmb231 cells (breast cancer cell line), respectively. It was observed that the APB-COF does not affect cell proliferation, whereas the DOX@APB-COF only limits cancer cell proliferation. Using APB-COF as the drug carrier can pave the way for using COFs in innovative DDSs.

Size-controlling preparation of covalent organic framework nanospheres for electrochemical impedimetric aptasensing of oxytetracycline

Covalent organic framework (COF) nanospheres with controlled size of ∼500 and ∼1100 nm were successfully prepared by adjusting the HOAc amount in the synthetic system. The as-synthesized COFs have large conjugate aromatic skeleton, excellent stability, abundant pore, and uniform morphology. These advantages of COFs are benefit for immobilizing aptamers to fabricate the targeted electrochemical aptasensor. The commonly used oxytetracycline (OTC) is an analytic model to explore the sensing performance of the COF-based aptasensor, indicating that the smaller COF (∼500 nm) is more conducive to acquiring the sensitive sensor than that of the larger COF (∼1100 nm). Moreover, the limitation of detection of the COF (∼500 nm)-based aptasensor is calculated to be 7.4 fg mL^-1 using the response impedance signal. Additionally, the aptamer-based biosensor has fine reproducibility, good stability, excellent specificity, and available usability even in real samples.

Two-Dimensional Bimetallic Phthalocyanine Covalent-Organic-Framework-Based Chemiresistive Gas Sensor for ppb-Level NO2 Detection

Two-dimensional (2D) phthalocyanine-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) provide an ideal platform for efficient and rapid gas sensing-this can be attributed to their regular structure, moderate conductivity, and a large number of scalable metal active centers. However, there remains a need to explore structural modification strategies for optimizing the sluggish desorption process caused by the extensive porosity and strong adsorption effect of metal sites. Herein, we reported a 2D bimetallic phthalocyanine-based COF (COF-CuNiPc) as chemiresistive gas sensors that exhibited a high gas-sensing performance to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). Bimetallic COF-CuNiPc with an asymmetric synergistic effect achieves a fast adsorption/desorption process to NO₂. It is demonstrated that the COF-CuNiPc can detect 50 ppb NO₂ with a recovery time of 7 s assisted by ultraviolet illumination. Compared with single-metal phthalocyanine-based COFs (COF-CuPc and COF-NiPc), the bimetallic structure of COF-CuNiPc can provide a proper band gap to interact with NO₂ gas molecules. The CuNiPc heterometallic active site expands the overlap of d-orbitals, and the optimized electronic arrangement accelerates the adsorption/desorption processes. The concept of a synergistic effect enabled by bimetallic phthalocyanines in this work can provide an innovative direction to design high-performance chemiresistive gas sensors.

κ-Carrageenan/triazin-based covalent organic framework bionanocomposite: Preparation, characterization, and its application in fast removing of BB41 dye from aqueous solution

A novel and high efficient adsorbent was prepared based on an environmentally friendly substrate, κ-carrageenan, and a triazine-based covalent organic framework as a co-adsorbent component. Combining these two precursors leads to an effective nanocomposite for removing Basic blue 41 dye from aqueous media. After confirm the structural of prepared composite by various analysis, the adsorption properties were investigated. The optimum conditions were obtained in: pH: 7, temperature: 25 °C and contact time: 210 min; and adsorbent dosage of 10 mg. According to the isotherms study, the basic blue 41 dye adsorption was matched to the Longmuir model with single-layer mechanism. The kinetic of adsorption was studied and fitted with pseudo-second order model with R² = 0.971. From the results the maximum adsorption capacity of 833 mg/g was obtained in 15 min and the reusability tests showed 24% decrease in yield after three cycles.

Multiple Impact-Resistant 2D Covalent Organic Framework

Exploring and designing two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials for armor-piercing protection has become a research focus. Here, by molecular dynamics simulation, we revealed that the ultralight monolayer covalent organic framework (COF), one kind of novel 2D crystalline polymer, possesses superior impact-resistant capability under high-velocity impact. The calculated specific penetration energy is much higher than that of other traditional impact-resistant materials, such as steel, poly(methyl methacrylate), Kevlar, etc. It was found that the hexagonal nanopores integrated by polymer chains have large deformation compatibility resulting from flexible torsion and stretching, which can remarkably contribute to the energy dissipation. In addition, the deformable nanopores can effectively restrain the crack propagation, enable COF to resist multiple impacts. This work uncovers the extreme dynamic responses of COF under high-velocity impact and provides theoretical guidance for designing superstrong 2D polymer-based crystalline nanomaterials.

Improving the Reaction-to-Fire Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane by New Phosphazene-Triazinyl-Based Covalent Organic Framework

In this study, an approach to simultaneously improve fire resistance and mechanical performance of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was introduced through the penetration of a conjugated network containing nitrogen and phosphorus elements. For this purpose, a Bg-HCCP COF was synthesized through a solvothermal method from benzoguanamine (Bg) and hexachlorophosphazene (HCCP) monomers. Then, it was combined with TPU using the wet mixing method. The TPU/Bg-HCCP composites showed better mechanical strength than the untreated sample. The fire safety of TPU/Bg-HCCP composites was greatly improved by increasing the Bg-HCCP contents. The reduction of the peak heat release rate and the total heat release for the TPU/Bg-HCCP composite with 3 wt % Bg-HCCP were about 44.8 and 60.4%, respectively. Besides, the results showed that adding Bg-HCCP to TPU significantly improved the suppression of smoke generation so that 3% by weight of the fire retardant reduced the total smoke released by 53.1%. It also decreased the peak of the carbon monoxide production rate by 26.5%. Generally, our research provides a promising strategy for constructing flame-retardant composites with high performance.