Flexible and Robust Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework Membranes for Precise Separations under Extreme Conditions

Membranes based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have demonstrated huge potential to resolve the longstanding bottlenecks in separation fields due to their structural and functional attributes. Herein, a three-dimensional COF featuring interpenetrated apertures, 3D-OH-COF, is rationally synthesized on polyimide supports to generate flexible, robust membranes. The resultant 3D-OH-COF presents excellent crystallinity, prominent porosity, and exceptional solvent resistance, enabling the produced membrane a sharp and durable selectivity to small molecules in water and organic solvents. Impressively, the membrane also exhibits excellent flexibility and robustness as verified by the wellmaintained performances after serious bending and solvent soaking under elevated temperatures. We further chemically convert 3DOH-COF into the carboxyl-decorated 3D-COOH-COF by a postsynthetic strategy. The 3D-COOH-COF retains high crystallinity, and the converted membrane receives a remarkable capture ability for targeted multivalent ions over other competing ions. This study exploits a viable avenue to produce practical 3D COF membranes toward ultimate separations under extreme conditions.

Automated summary

COF-based membranes with outstanding properties have been synthesized in this study, showing excellent crystallinity, porosity, and solvent resistance, as well as sharp and durable selectivity to small molecules in water and organic solvents. Through chemical transformation, a carboxyl-decorated 3D-COOH-COF membrane with high capture ability for targeted multivalent ions has been successfully produced.