Chapter 1 - The review and introduction of hypercrosslinked polymer

Abstract

Hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) are a kind of nanoporous material having a wide application, including gas sorption and separation, heterogeneous catalysis, drug delivery, and chromatographic separation. HCPs, which were first invented by Davankov and Tsyurupa in the early 1970s, have grown in popularity over the last few decades. Moderate synthesis conditions, a vast stockroom of affordable monomers, sturdy structures, and high thermal and chemical stabilities are only a few of the benefits of HCPs materials. This chapter mainly introduces the synthesis, properties, and applications of hypercrosslinked polymers. HCPs materials can be made by postcrosslinking polystyrene-type precursors in their swollen condition or by condensation of tiny building blocks, both of them are based on Friedel-Crafts chemistry and it provides fast kinetics which can form strong linkage producing highly crosslinked network with leading porosity. The various chemical modification reactions relevant to this area are also introduced. Several examples of applications for hypercrosslinked materials are described and grouped into thematic areas such as sensing, photocatalysis, drug delivery, gas separation, and removal of pollutants.