Two Chemically Stable Cd(II) Polymers as Fluorescent Sensor and Photocatalyst for Aromatic Dyes

Area of Science:

• Materials Chemistry
• Coordination Chemistry
• Nanomaterials

Background:

• Coordination polymers (CPs) offer tunable properties for sensing and catalysis.
• Developing robust CPs for environmental applications is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize and characterize novel 2D Cd(II)-based CPs.
• Evaluate their potential as fluorescent sensors and photocatalysts.

Main Methods:

• Solvothermal synthesis of two Cd(II)-CPs using a tetracarboxylate ligand.
• Fluorescence spectroscopy for sensing Fe³⁺ and nitro-aromatics (NACs).
• Thermogravimetric analysis for thermal stability.
• Photocatalytic degradation of aromatic dyes.
• Theoretical calculations (DOS) for mechanistic insights.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized two new 2D Cd(II)-CPs: [Cd₂(H₂L)₂(2,2'-bipy)₂] (1) and [Cd(L)₀.₅(phen)·0.5H₂O] (2).
• Both CPs demonstrated high sensitivity as fluorescent sensors for Fe³⁺ and NACs, particularly 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP).
• CPs 1 and 2 exhibited good thermal stability and significant photocatalytic activity in degrading aromatic dyes.
• Theoretical calculations provided insights into the fluorescence quenching mechanism with NACs and the photocatalysis process.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized Cd(II)-CPs are effective fluorescent sensors and photocatalysts.
• These materials show promise for environmental monitoring and remediation.
• Further investigation into their sensing and degradation mechanisms is warranted.