Triquinoxalinylene and benzoquinone based covalent organic framework as robust material for mitigation of environmental pollutants-A theoretical approach

Abstract

The physisorption of pollutant gases (NH3, HCN, H2S and PH3) on TQBQ-COF has been explored using DFT calculations. The strength and nature of interactions were determined through interaction energy, non-Covalent interactions- Reduced Density Gradient (NCI-RDG) plots, Frontier Molecular Orbital (FMO), Natural bond orbital (NBO), Electron Density Difference (EDD) and Quantum Theory of Atoms In Molecule (QTAIM) analysis. The optimized geometries and interaction energy calculations revealed that the analytes interacted with Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms of TQBQ-COF leading to adsorption energy ranging from −10.66 to −5.85 kcal/mol. The values of recovery time were in agreement to that of interaction energy and decreased with the increase in temperature. The NCI-RDG plots and QTAIM analysis revealed the presence of weak van der Waals forces in all complexes and partial covalent character in H2S@TQBQ-COF. Charge transfer study (employing NBO and EDD analysis) depicted the transfer of charge from surface to analytes. The study of HOMO-LUMO energy gap in FMO analysis depicted the high sensitivity of TQBQ-COF for H2S and NH3 compared to HCN and PH3 due to significant lowering of HOMO-LUMO energy gap upon the adsorption of H2S and NH3 on TQBQ-COF.