Metal Microporous Aromatic Polymers with Improved Performance for Small Gas Storage

A novel metal-doping strategy was developed for the construction of iron-decorated microporous aromatic polymers with high small-gas-uptake capacities. Cost-effective ferrocene-functionalized microporous aromatic polymers (FMAPs) were constructed by a one-step Friedel-Crafts reaction of ferrocene and s-triazine monomers. The introduction of ferrocene endows the microporous polymers with a regular and homogenous dispersion of iron, which avoids the slow reunion that is usually encountered in previously reported metal-doping procedures, permitting a strong interaction between the porous solid and guest gases. Compared to ferrocene-free analogues, FMAP-1, which has a moderate BET surface area, shows good gas-adsorption capabilities for H-2 (1.75wt% at 77K/1.0bar), CH4 (5.5wt% at 298K/25.0bar), and CO2 (16.9wt% at 273K/1.0bar), as well as a remarkably high ideal adsorbed solution theory CO2/N-2 selectivity (107v/v at 273K/(0-1.0)bar), and high isosteric heats of adsorption of H-2 (16.9kJmol(-1)) and CO2 (41.6kJmol(-1)).