High adsorptive properties of covalent triazine-based frameworks (CTFs) for surfactants from aqueous solution

Carbonaceous covalent triazine-based frameworks from 1,4-dicyano-benzene (CTF-1) can adsorb up to about 4 g g(-1) of the surfactants alkyl polyglycolether, C12EO7 and sodium dodecylsulfate, SDS from aqueous solution (c = 8.0 mmol L-1) which is more than 20-times the gravimetric uptake capacity of a carbon black (Printex L from Evonik). This high uptake is due to CTF sheet exfoliation. Taking into account the thermal and chemical stability of CTFs this first surfactant adsorption study with CTFs shows that CTFs are especially interesting for the uptake of substances from solution.