Covalent organic frameworks constructed from flexible building blocks: high porosity, crystallinity, and iodine uptake

Abstract

Two covalent organic frameworks (F-COF-1 and F-COF-2), synthesized from flexible building blocks, have been designed and constructed by carrying out Schiff base condensation reactions under solvothermal conditions. Interestingly, the two F-COFs displayed good porosity, crystallinity, and high density of N and O atoms in their skeletons, which together suggested that their high iodine capture abilities, of up to 5.51 g g⁻¹, occurred not only due to supramolecular forces, but also due to the elasticity and self-adaptability of their pore channels.