<p>Nanoporous organic polymers with distinct
morphologies are of immense interest for a broad spectrum of applications
ranging from catalysis to molecular separation, energy storage, and energy conversion.
However, developing facile and versatile methodologies to obtain
well-orchestrated morphologies along with high specific surface area pertinent
to a specific application is still a formidable challenge. The design of the task-specific
networks can be benefitted through further
analysis of subtle variations in the polymerization
conditions. Herein, we have critically examined the fabrication of
triptycene-based hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs), exhibiting contrasting
morphologies developed through three distinct polymerization routes.
Astonishingly, a remarkable variation of nanostructured morphology of irregular
aggregates, nanospheres, and nanosheets was noticeable in the resultant network
polymers through Friedel-Crafts crosslinking using dimethoxymethane as an
external crosslinker, Scholl coupling, and solvent knitting using
dichloromethane as an external crosslinker and solvent, respectively. The
dramatic role of reaction temperature, catalysts, and solvents driving the
formation of specific nanostructured HCPs was elucidated. Mechanistic
investigations coupled with spectroscopic and microscopic studies revealed that
the 2D-nanosheets of highly porous solvent-knitted HCP (SKTP, S<sub>BET</sub>: 2385
m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>-1</sup>) evolved through the hierarchical self-assembly of
rigid nanospheres into nanoribbons followed by the formation of nanosheets. We
further demonstrated a structure-activity correlation of the pristine as well
as post-synthetically sulfonated HCPs for the removal of a gamut of organic
micropollutants from water. Solvent
knitted triptycene polymer (SKTP) and its sulfonated derivative (SKTPS, S<sub>BET</sub>:
1444 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>-1</sup>) owing to high specific surface areas,
excellent dispersity in water, and better accessibility of analytes through
2D-sheet like morphology exhibited ultrafast sequestration (30 s to 5 min) of an
extensive array of persistent organic micropollutants, including ionic dyes,
plastic components, steroids, antibiotic drugs, and herbicides with excellent
recyclability. The current study holds the promise that a delicate control over
the morphologies of nanoporous polymers by tuning the fabrication conditions
paves the way for the development of advanced porous materials for environmental
remediation.</p>
Two-dimensional gold nanostructures with high activity for selective oxidation of carbon–hydrogen bonds
