Non-cationic hyper-crosslinked ionic polymers with hierarchically ordered porous structures: facile synthesis and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Hyper-crosslinked porous ionic polymers (HCPIPs) are recognized for their ionic properties and high surface areas.
• Existing HCPIPs face limitations in monomer variety, ionic density, and functionalization.
• These limitations hinder the development of advanced HCPIPs for specific applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel functionalized non-cationic HCPIPs with high ionic density.
• To explore the CO2 adsorption and catalytic capabilities of these new materials.
• To investigate the influence of hydroxyl group content on material performance.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of HCPIPs via anion (and cation) hyper-crosslinking of tetraphenylborate-based ionic liquids (ILs).
• Characterization of HCPIPs for hydroxyl group content, IL content, and specific surface area.
• Evaluation of CO2 adsorption capacity and CO2/N2 selectivity at 273 K and 1 bar.
• Assessment of catalytic activity in CO2 cycloaddition to epoxides under mild conditions.

Main Results:

• Synthesized HCPIPs exhibit controllable hydroxyl group content (0-2.40 mmol g⁻¹), high IL content (1.20-1.78 mmol g⁻¹), and large specific surface area (636-729 m² g⁻¹).
• Achieved exceptional CO2 adsorption capacities (2.68-3.01 mmol g⁻¹) and CO2/N2 selectivities (166-237).
• Demonstrated high efficiency as heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 cycloaddition to epoxides.
• Correlated enhanced CO2 adsorption and catalytic activity with increased hydroxyl group content.

Conclusions:

• Developed a facile and widely applicable method for synthesizing functionalized HCPIPs.
• The new HCPIPs show significant potential for efficient carbon capture and utilization.
• Hydroxyl group functionalization is a key strategy for tuning HCPIP performance for specific applications.