Abstract
Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) have been recently employed for visible light-driven photocatalysis due to their unique optical and electronic properties. However, the usually highly hydrophobic nature of CTFs, which originates from their overall aromatic backbone, leads to limitations of CTFs for applications in aqueous media. In this study, we aim to extend the range of the application media of CTFs and design hybrid material of a CTF and mesoporous silica (SBA-15) for efficient photocatalysis in aqueous medium. A thiophene-containing CTF was directly synthesized in mesopores of SBA-15. Due to the high surface area and the added hydrophilic properties by silica, the hybrid material demonstrated excellent adsorption of organic molecules in water. This leads not only to high photocatalytic performance of the hybrid material for the degradation of organic dyes in water, but also for efficient photocatalysis in solvent-free and solid state. Furthermore, the reusability, stability and easy recovery of the hybrid material offers promising metal-free heterogeneous photocatalyst for broader applications in different reaction media.
Highlights
Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) represent an interesting and novel class of porous organic polymers, which have considerable unique properties
The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of CTF-Th@SBA-15 was measured to be 374 m2∙g–1, with a pore volume of 0.59 cm3∙g–1, which is lower than the BET surface area of pristine SBA-15, which is 596 m2∙g–1 with a pore volume of 0.9 cm3∙g–1
A thiophene-containing covalent traizine framework (CTF-Th) on a mesoporous silica SBA-15 was prepared via cyclization polymerization of dicyanide monomer and under trifluromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH) vapor in a solid state synthesis
Summary
Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) represent an interesting and novel class of porous organic polymers, which have considerable unique properties. The surface properties of CTFs become critical for their catalytic efficiencies. In this regard, few studies were interested in investigating closely the adsorptive behavior of CTFs to organic compounds or pollutants. It has been found that these properties [11,12,13] depends partly on the surface chemistry of adsorbents [15,16]. This statement was further confirmed by Kuhn et al [17]. The development of porous systems with well-defined morphology is highly beneficial for promoting the adsorption and diffusion of the target molecules and enhancing the performance of the materials, here in particular of this study, the catalysis
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