The Synthesis and Design of Functional Covalent Organic Frameworks

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an advanced class of crystalline porous polymers that are composed of light elements (C, H, O, N, and B) linked via strong covalent bonds. COFs are generally constructed by using reversible bond forming reactions to yield crystalline materials with high surface areas, low densities, and high thermal stabilities. These features make COFs useful for carbon capture, gas storage, and sensory applications. This lecture will discuss employing a bottom-up approach to create novel functional COFs that can bind small metal cations (e.g., Li, Ca, etc.), and some low-oxidation state transition metals (e.g., Ni(0), Co(II), Fe(II), etc.). The prospect of utilizing these COFs for applications related to gas separations, catalysis, and energy storage will be highlighted.

Host: Jonathan Barnes