The Synthesis and Design of Functional Covalent Organic Frameworks
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an advanced class of crystalline porous polymers that are composed of light elements (C, H, O, N, and B) linked via strong covalent bonds. COFs are generally constructed by using reversible bond forming reactions to yield crystalline materials with high surface areas, low densities, and high thermal stabilities. This lecture will discuss employing a bottom-up approach to create novel functional COFs that can bind small metal cations (i.e., Li, Ca, etc.), and some low-oxidation state transition metals (i.e., Ni, Co, Fe, etc.). The prospect of utilizing these COFs for applications related to chemical separations, catalysis, energy storage, and carbon capture will be highlighted.