Deciphering the relationship between the ordered pore structure and solid-phase microextraction behavior of covalent...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Material extraction performance is linked to physical structure.
• The specific influence of ordered pore structures in covalent organic frameworks (COFs) on extraction efficiency remains unclear.
• Understanding COF pore structure-performance relationships is crucial for developing advanced separation materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of varying ordered pore structures in COFs on their extraction performance for phenolic compounds.
• To elucidate the interaction mechanisms governing the extraction process.
• To develop a sensitive analytical method for phenolic compounds using tailored COFs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a series of COFs with controlled pore structures at room temperature by adjusting reaction time.
• Evaluation of COF extraction efficiencies toward phenolic compounds.
• Development of a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method using a COF-coated fiber coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Main Results:

• COFs with short-range ordered pores showed higher affinity and enrichment factors for phenolic compounds.
• COFs with long-range ordered pores exhibited faster extraction kinetics.
• The density of available sites within the COF structure was identified as the key factor influencing these differences.
• The developed GC-MS method using COF-OMe-0.5 h demonstrated high enrichment factors (7192-29440), wide linear ranges (2.0-10000 ng L⁻¹), and low detection limits (0.24-0.54 ng L⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• The degree of pore ordering in COFs significantly affects their extraction performance and kinetics.
• Controlling COF pore structure provides a pathway to tune material properties for specific applications like phenolic compound extraction.
• This study offers a framework for designing COFs with tailored pore architectures for enhanced analytical applications.