Design, synthesis, and functions of conjugated microporous polymers

Nanoporous materials that have large specific surface areas are of broad interest in relation to their outstanding functions and wide applications in various fields such as gas adsorption and storage, catalysis, light-emitting diodes, semiconductors, and light energy conversions. Among various porous materials thus far developed, conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) represent a new class of porous architectures because CMPs are purely organic polymers that can be composited with lightweight elements via strong covalent bonds. The network structure of CMPs endows the materials with three-dimensional and amorphous characteristics along with inherent porosity. One significant feature of CMPs is that the molecular skeleton is p conjugated, thus making a sharp contrast with other families of porous materials. The p-conjugated skeletons together with well-defined nanopores enable the development of novel materials that are completely different from traditional linear conjugated polymers without porous structures and conventional porous polymeric materials lacking strong p correlations among the building blocks. Although the frameworks are not crystalline and do not possess long-range molecular orderings in the framework, nevertheless, the cross-linking nature and p conjugation over the network offers a great probability of developing new materials thus far difficult to be achieved.