Proton‐Conductive 3D LnIII Metal–Organic Frameworks for Formic Acid Impedance Sensing

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) as new classes of proton‐conducting materials have been highlighted in recent years. Nevertheless, the exploration of proton‐conducting MOFs as formic acid sensors is extremely lacking. Herein, we prepared two highly stable 3D isostructural lanthanide(III) MOFs, {(M(μ₃‐HPhIDC)(μ₂‐C₂O₄)_0.5(H₂O))?2 H₂O}_n (M=Tb ( ZZU‐1 ); Eu ( ZZU‐2 )) (H₃PhIDC=2‐phenyl‐1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylic acid), in which the coordinated and uncoordinated water molecules and uncoordinated imidazole N atoms play decisive roles for the high‐performance proton conduction and recognition ability for formic acid. Both ZZU‐1 and ZZU‐2 show temperature‐ and humidity‐dependent proton‐conducting characteristics with high conductivities of 8.95×10^?4 and 4.63×10^?4 S cm^‐1 at 98 % RH and 100 °C, respectively. Importantly, the impedance values of the two MOF‐based sensors decrease upon exposure to formic acid vapor generated from formic aqueous solutions at 25 °C with good reproducibility. By comparing the changes of impedance values, we can indirectly determine the concentration of HCOOH in aqueous solution. The results showed that the lowest detectable concentrations of formic acid aqueous solutions are 1.2×10^?2 mol L^?1 by ZZU‐1 and 2.0×10^?2 mol L^?1 by ZZU‐2 . Furthermore, the two sensors can distinguish formic acid vapor from interfering vapors including MeOH, N‐hexane, benzene, toluene, EtOH, acetone, acetic acid and butane. Our research provides a new platform of proton‐conductive MOFs‐based sensors for detecting formic acid.     

Two-Dimensional LDH Film Templating for Controlled Preparation and Performance Enhancement of Polyamide Nanofiltration Membranes

Tailored design of high-performance nanofiltration membranes that can be used in a variety of applications such as water desalination, resource recovery, and sewage treatment is desirable. Herein, we describe the use of layered double hydroxides (LDH) intermediate layer to control the interfacial polymerization between trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and piperazine (PIP) for the preparation of polyamide (PA) membrane. The dense surface of LDH layer and its unique mass transfer behavior influence the diffusion of PIP, and the supporting role of the LDH layer allows the formation of ultrathin PA membranes. By only changing the concentration of PIP, a series of membranes with controllable thickness from 10 to 50 nm and tunable crosslinking-degree can be prepared. The membrane prepared with a higher concentration of PIP shows excellent performance for divalent salt retention with water permeance of 28 Lm⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹, high rejection of 95.1 % for MgCl₂ and 97.1 % for Na₂SO₄. While the membrane obtained with a lower concentration of PIP can sieve dye molecules of different sizes with a flux of up to 70 Lm⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹. This work demonstrates a novel strategy for the controllable preparation of high-performance nanofiltration membranes and provides new insights into how the intermediate layer affects the IP reaction and the final separation performance.     

Postsynthetic Functionalization of Three‐Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks for Selective Extraction of Lanthanide Ions

Chemical functionalization of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is critical for tuning their properties and broadening their potential applications. However, the introduction of functional groups, especially to three‐dimensional (3D) COFs, still remains largely unexplored. Reported here is a general strategy for generating a 3D carboxy‐functionalized COF through postsynthetic modification of a hydroxy‐functionalized COF, and for the first time exploration of the 3D carboxy‐functionalized COF in the selective extraction of lanthanide ions. The obtained COF shows high crystallinity, good chemical stability, and large specific surface area. Furthermore, the carboxy‐functionalized COF displays high metal loading capacities together with excellent adsorption selectivity for Nd³⁺ over Sr²⁺ and Fe³⁺ as confirmed by the Langmuir adsorption isotherms and ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) calculations. This study not only provides a strategy for versatile functionalization of 3D COFs, but also opens a way to their use in environmentally related applications.     

巯基/氧化纤维素的制备及氯化体系中Ag(Ⅰ)的选择性吸附

以废纸纤维素为原料,将纤维素氧化开环胺化后再进行巯基化反应,制备得到了一系列巯基修饰的纤维素类吸附剂。研究发现,无论是单一氯化体系还是高铜高镍氯化混合体系,基于氨基硫脲修饰戊二醛交联的氧化纤维素吸附剂对配阴离子AgCl_4~(3-)的吸附效果最好,最大吸附量可达到171.16 mg/g。通过红外、X射线光电子能谱、热力学等技术手段分析探讨了其不同吸附效果的原因及该吸附剂对配阴离子Ag(Ⅰ)的静电引力吸附机理。     

Recent progress in studies on polarity of ionic liquids

Although many ionic liquids have been reported, their polarity is not completely understood. Different empirical polarity scales for molecular solvents always lead to different polarity orders when they are applied on ionic liquids. Based on a literature survey, this review summarizes the recent polarity scales of ionic liquids according to the following 4 classes: (1) equilibrium and kinetic rate constants of chemical reactions; (2) empirical polar parameters of ionic liquids; (3) spectral properties of probe molecules; (4) multiparameter approaches. In addition, their interrelations are presented. A systematic understanding of the relationship between different polarity parameters of ionic liquids is of great importance for finding a universal set of parameters that can be used to predict the polarities of ionic liquids quantitatively. The potential utilization of the electron paramagnetic resonance in this field is also addressed.     

New Linear and Star‐Shaped Thermogelling Poly([R]‐3‐hydroxybutyrate) Copolymers

The synthesis of multi‐arm poly([R]‐3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)‐based triblock copolymers (poly([R]‐3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐b‐[[poly(methyl ether methacrylate)‐g‐poly(ethylene glycol)]‐co‐[poly(methacrylate)‐g‐poly(propylene glycol)]], PHB‐b‐PNIPAAM‐b‐(PPEGMEMA‐co‐PPPGMA), and their subsequent self‐assembly into thermo‐responsive hydrogels is described. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) followed by poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEMA) and poly(propylene glycol) methacrylate (PPGMA) was achieved from bromoesterified multi‐arm PHB macroinitiators. The composition of the resulting copolymers was investigated by ¹H and ¹³C J‐MOD NMR spectroscopy as well as size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The copolymers featuring different architectures and distinct hydrophilic/hydrophobic contents were found to self‐assemble into thermo‐responsive gels in aqueous solution. Rheological studies indicated that the linear one‐arm PHB‐based copolymer tend to form a micellar solution, whereas the two‐ and four‐arm PHB‐based copolymers afforded gels with enhanced mechanical properties and solid‐like behavior. These investigations are the first to correlate the gelation properties to the arm number of a PHB‐based copolymer. All copolymers revealed a double thermo‐responsive behavior due to the NIPAAM and PPGMA blocks, thus allowing first the copolymer self‐assembly at room temperature, and then the delivery of a drug at body temperature (37 °C). The non‐significant toxic response of the gels, as assessed by the cell viability of the CCD‐112CoN human fibroblast cell line with different concentrations of the triblock copolymers ranging from 0.03 to 1 mg mL^?1, suggest that these PHB‐based thermo‐responsive gels are promising candidate biomaterials for drug‐delivery applications.     

Metalloporphyrin‐Based Hypercrosslinked Polymers Catalyze Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reactions of Unactivated Aldehydes with Simple Dienes: A Fascinating Strategy for the Construction of Heterogeneous Catalysts

We describe a novel and intriguing strategy for the construction of efficient heterogeneous catalysts by hypercrosslinking catalyst molecules in a one‐pot Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction. The new hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) as porous solid catalysts exhibit the combined advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, owing to their high surface area, good stability, and tailoring of catalytic centers on the frameworks. Indeed, a new class of metalloporphyrin‐based HCPs were successfully synthesized using modified iron(III) porphyrin complexes as building blocks, and the resulting networks were found to be excellent recyclable heterogeneous catalysts for the hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction of unactivated aldehydes with 1,3‐dienes. Moreover, this new strategy showed wide adaptability, and many kinds of homogeneous‐like solid‐based catalysts with high catalytic performance and excellent recyclability were also constructed.