Light induced construction of porous covalent organic polymeric networks for significant enhancement of CO2 gas sorption

Abstract

Herein, we report morphology-controlled porous polymeric materials for enhanced CO2 capture, which was achieved using the topochemical polymerization of dipeptide functionalized diphenylbutadiynes. The topochemical reaction was executed to control the morphology of the synthesized dipeptide appended diarylbutadiyne derivatives on a solid surface. Topochemical polymerization involves the formation of polydiacetylene due to the presence of hydrogen bonding between the amide groups and intermolecular π-π stacking interactions in their self-assembled state, which was established using UV-Vis, Raman and IR spectroscopy. The change in morphology of the two dipeptide functionalized diphenylbutadiyne (DPB) was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Porosity was developed after UV irradiation of the diacetylene-based dipeptide appended bolaamphiphiles. Interestingly, after UV irradiation, the porous covalent organic polymers 1 and 2 show 24.22 times and 12 times enhanced N2 gas adsorption than their parent compounds 1 and 2, respectively. The surface area of the porous covalent organic polymers 1 and 2 was enhanced 21.68 times and 5.54 times than their parent compounds 1 and 2, respectively. Polymer 1 exhibits 4.23 times the CO2 capture ability than compound 1 and polymer 2 shows 4.1 times the CO2 capture ability than compound 2. This study highlights the controlled synthesis of light induced porous covalent organic polymers with high surface area used for efficient CO2 storage applications. © 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.