Template-assisted preparation of conjugated microporous polymers membranes for selective separation

Efficient removal of organic contaminants from wastewater is of great importance for both water resource utilization and environmental remediation. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) membranes by employment of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene (1,3,5-TEB) and 1,4-Dibromobenzene (DB) as building blocks and Pd (0)/CuI as catalyst through a Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reaction using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as template. The as-prepared CMPs/AAO composite membranes, which can be fabricated as both free-standing thin films and AAO supported composite membranes, show a honeycomb-like porous network structure with strong hydrophobic and oleophilic wettability. The CMPs/AAO composite membranes exhibit excellent performance for separation of organic contaminants from wastewater. e.g., the removal efficiency of dye can reach ca. 100% with a permeation flux of over 300 L m(-2) h(-1) bar(-1). Furthermore, both the suspended oils and emulsion oils in water can be easily separated by the CMPs/AAO composite membranes with a separation efficiency of up to 99.4%, making them promising candidates as a porous platform with significant potentials for separation and water treatment applications.

Automated summary

This study reports the facile synthesis of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) membranes with excellent performance for efficient separation of organic contaminants from wastewater, showing great potential for application in water treatment.