Single-Chain Conjugated Polymer Guests Confined inside Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs): Boosting the Detection and Degradation of a Sulfur Mustard Simulant

Abstract

Real-time detection and effective degradation of toxic gases have attracted considerable attention in environmental monitoring and human health. Here, we demonstrate a solventassisted dynamic assembly strategy to strongly enhance the detection and degradation performance for 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES, as a sulfur mustard simulant) via confinement of a conjugated polymer in metal−organic frameworks (MOFs). The conjugated polymer poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-altbenzothiadiazole) (F8BT) is infiltrated into one-dimensional nanochannels of the Zr-based topological MOF NU-1000 in a single-chain manner, which is caused by the nanoconfinement effect and the steric hindrance between 9,9-dioctylfluorene units and benzothiadiazole units. The obtained F8BT⊂NU-1000 composites provide a high specific surface area and abundant active sites. Based on the cooperative effect of F8BT and NU-1000, rapid and sensitive detection of CEES has been achieved. Moreover, the F8BT⊂NU-1000 composites can selectively oxidize CEES into 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) under mild photooxidation conditions. Overall, this study opens a new avenue for the fabrication of conjugated polymer/MOF hybrid materials that show great potential for the sensitive detection and effective removal of hazardous chemicals.

Recent advances in the development of fluorescent sensors for sulfur mustard detection

“…lanthanides and transition metals) or capturing of targeted chemicals. 45,46 Liu et al 47 demonstrated a solvent assisted dynamic assembly strategy to confine the polymer poly(9,9-di- n -octylfluorene-altbenzothiadiazole) (F8BT) in MOFs (sensor 35 ), which strongly enhanced the detection and degradation performance for CEES (Fig. 22).…”