Self-Templated Synthesis of Triphenylene-Based Uniform Hollow Spherical Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks for Drug Delivery

Abstract

Constructing two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2DCOFs) with a desirable crystalline structure and morphology is promising but remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report self-templated synthesis of uniform hollow spherical 2DCOFs based on 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(4-aminophenyl) triphenylene. A detailed time-dependent study of hollow sphere formation reveals an intriguing transformation from initial homogeneous solid spheres into uniform hollow spheres with the Ostwald ripening mechanism. Impressively, the resultant spherical 2DCOFs are composed of high crystallinity nanosheets and even hexagonal single crystals, as demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy. Thanks to its uniform morphology and high crystallinity, the pore volume of the obtained 2DCOFs is up to 1.947 cm3 g–1, which makes it function as superior nanocarriers for efficient controlled drug delivery. This result provides an avenue for improving COFs’ performance by regulating their morphology.