An ionic liquid was confined inside the nanopores of a three-dimensional (3D) COF for the first time. The confined ionic liquid was remarkably solidified due to the nanosized effect of the COF on the ionic liquid. This research provides a novel strategy for immobilizing ionic liquids on solid supports or within a solid matrix.

An ionic liquid was confined inside the nanopores of a three-dimensional (3D) COF for the first time. The confined ionic liquid was remarkably solidified due to the nanosized effect of the COF on the ionic liquid. This research provides a novel strategy for immobilizing ionic liquids on solid supports or within a solid matrix.

We presented the immobilization of ionic liquids on the channel walls of COFs using a post-synthetic strategy. The ionic [Et4NBr]50%-Py-COF afforded a high CO2 adsorption capacity of 164.6 mg g−1 (1 bar, 273 K) and was developed as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the transformation of CO2 into value-added formamides under ambient conditions.

•BMIMOAc ionic liquid was used to extract the HAp from waste fish scales.•The HAp was characterized for its physical and chemical structure.•FTIR, XRD, TGA and EDX analysis confirmed the structure of extracted HAp.•MTT cell viability showed the bio-compatibility of HAp.In this study the waste fish scales (FS) were dissolved in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic liquid to obtain a valuable product of hydroxyapatite (HAp). The HAp was obtained in the yield of 32 ± 2%. The obtained HAp was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-rays Diffraction (PXRD), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Field Emission Scanning Microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The results of FTIR and XRD showed the characteristic peaks of the HAp. The thermal degradation temperature of the extracted HAp was relatively high. Furthermore, low weight loss was measured which confirmed the removal of organic part of FS during ionic liquid treatment. The FE-SEM result showed the particles with different morphologies and EDX analysis showed a Ca/P ratio of 1.60 for the extracted HAp. The biocompatibility of the extracted HAp was assessed through MTT cell viability assay using known Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells (HEK cells) and epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431 cells).

A series of tailored covalent organic frameworks (COFs), i.e. [NN]X%–TAPH-COFs and [CC]X%–TAPH-COFs, were synthesized by post-fabrication of [HO]X%–TAPH-COFs with 4-phenylazobenzoyl chloride (PhAzo) and 4-stilbenecarbonyl chloride (PhSti), respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FT-IR, and solution-state 1H NMR of the digested COFs were applied to clarify the functional groups integrated in the pore channels. Gas sorption isotherms confirmed that the [NN]X%–TAPH-COFs and [CC]X%–TAPH-COFs had moderate surface areas, narrow pore sizes, and good physicochemical stability. Compared with [CC]X%–TAPH-COFs, the [NN]X%–TAPH-COFs exhibited higher CO2 uptake capacities of up to 207 mg g−1 (273 K and 1 bar), isosteric heats of adsorption for CO2 (30.7–43.4 kJ mol−1), and CO2/N2 selectivities of up to 78 (273 K) because of the dipole interactions between the azo group and CO2 as well as the N2-phobic behavior of the azo group. Furthermore, although the decreased pore size was advantageous for increasing CO2 adsorption, the decreased surface area of the COFs would undoubtedly decrease CO2 adsorption if too many functional groups were introduced.

Mn/Pd bimetallic docked covalent organic frameworks were fabricated via a programmed synthetic procedure. Within the framework, MnCl2 could only coordinate with the bipyridine ligands, while Pd(OAc)2 could occupy the rest of the nitrogen sites. Such bimetallic docked materials showed high catalytic activity in a Heck-epoxidation tandem reaction.

•We incorporated dipolar thiadiazole groups into a 2D COF (TH-COF-1) by bottom-up synthesis.•The bottom-up approach was straightforward and provided more homogeneous distribution of functional units.•Relatively small micropores and more accessible nitrogen sites were obtained in TH-COF-1.•The TH-COF-1 exhibited CO2 uptake capacity and selectivity superior to the analogous COF without thiadiazole rings.A new covalent organic framework (TH-COF-1) was synthesized by Schiff-base condensation of thiadiazole-functionalized diamine and aldehyde. With thiadiazole rings in pore walls, the TH-COF-1 displayed excellent microporous characteristics and abundant nitrogen sites, which exhibited CO2 uptake capacity and selectivity superior to the analogous COF-LZU1 without thiadiazole rings. The pore-wall functionalization of COFs with CO2-philic groups by bottom-up synthesis was proved to be a powerful strategy to improve CO2 capture and separation.

An azo (N═N) based covalent organic framework (COF-TpAzo) has been synthesized via a Schiff base condensation reaction. The Braunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area up to 1552 m2·g–1 was obtained for the framework with a pore volume of 0.97 cm3·g–1. The COF-TpAzo exhibits a high selectivity in CO2/N2 (127/145 at 273/298 K, respectively, Henry method) due to the N2-phobic and CO2-philic feature of COF-TpAzo. Furthermore, hydrogen and methane storage capacities of the nitrogen-rich COF-TpAzo have been investigated. The COF-TpAzo shows high H2 and CH4 storage capacity at 1 bar (10.6 mg·g–1 at 77 K for H2, 11.2 mg·g–1 at 273 K for CH4, and 5.5 mg·g–1 at 298 K for CH4).

The ionic liquid (IL), tetrabutylphosphonium trifluoroacetate ([P4444][CF3COO]), showed a low critical solution temperature (LCST)-type phase transition in water. Using this temperature-sensitive IL and the Triton X-100/H2O system, the reversible transformation between micelles and microemulsions was thus realized by a thermal stimulus for the first time.

A novel approach to grow a 3D COF-320 membrane on a surface-modified porous α-Al2O3 substrate is developed. A compact and uniform COF-320 membrane with a layer thickness of ∼4 μm is obtained. This is the first reported 3D COF functional membrane fabricated successfully on a common porous α-Al2O3 ceramic support. The gas permeation results indicate that the gas transport behavior is mainly governed by the predicted Knudsen diffusion process due to the large nanopores of 3D COF-320.

•A covalent linkage by 3-aminopropytriethoxysilane (APTES) for the Schiff-base networks (SNW).•The SNW-1 membrane fabricated on the APTES modified porous α-Al2O3 support.•The supported SNW-1 membrane synthesized by the catalyst-free polycondensation method.A surface modification strategy was applied by using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) covalent linkage between the Schiff-base networks (SNW) polymer layers and porous α-Al2O3 ceramic support. The SNW-1 polymer membrane and powders resulting from the polycondensation reaction between melamine and terephthalaldehyde without the polycondensation catalysts were investigated by SEM and FT-IR. The results show that the discrete and few covered polymer layers were formed on the unmodified porous α-Al2O3 support. In contrast, the uniform and compact SNW-1 polymer membrane was fabricated successfully on the APTES modified α-Al2O3 support by in-situ catalyst-free polycondensation method, indicating that the APTES surface modification facilitates the growth of the novel SNW-1 polymer membrane on the porous α-Al2O3 support.

In the present contribution, results concerning the role of small amounts of water in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis 2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate ([bmim][AOT]) based 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4])-in-benzene reverse microemulsions are emphasized. The microemulsion aggregates have demonstrated features in common with traditional aqueous systems, such as a normal microemulsion droplet size and decreased stability due to the addition of a polar component. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed that the size change of microemulsion with added water depends on the loaded [bmim][BF4] content in the microemulsion: when the [bmim][BF4] content is low, the microemulsion diameter first decreases and then increases, while the size remains about the same for microemulsions with a moderate [bmim][BF4] loading and a successive increase in size was found for high-loaded [bmim][BF4] microemulsions. 1H NMR along with two-dimensional rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) experiments (ROESY) revealed that water molecules formed wide interactions with both 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([bmim]) and bis 2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate ([AOT]), leading to a decrease in the headgroup area of [bmim][AOT], i.e. α value, which will decrease the microemulsion size. On the other hand, addition of water can simultaneously swell the microemulsions, causing an increase in the diameter. It is also deduced that the Coulomb forces between the [AOT] and [bmim] should be one of the main driving forces for the formation of [bmim][BF4]-in-benzene microemulsions.

An environmentally benign and convenient amine-functionalized ionic liquid (IL) catalytic system was explored for the preparation of α,α′-bis(substituted benzylidene)cyclopentanones by the cross-aldol condensation of aromatic aldehydes with cyclopentanone. High yields were obtained without using any organic solvents. The condensation products can be separated easily and the ILs can be recovered and reused at least five times without apparently loss of activity. The potential mechanism of the cross-aldol condensation reaction in this IL catalytic system is discussed.

An air- and water-stable hydrophobic ionic liquid N-butyl-3-methylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([c43mpy][NTf2]) was synthesized and characterized. Density, surface tension, dynamic viscosity, and electrical conductivity of the IL were measured and calculated from (278.15 to 353.15) K. The glass transition temperature and decomposition temperature were determined by the differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimatric analysis. The physicochemical properties like molecular volume, standard molar entropy, lattice energy, parachor, molar enthalpy of vaporization, interstice volume, thermal expansion coefficient, interstice fraction, etc. of the IL were estimated by the reported empirical and semiempirical equations. The dynamic viscosity and electrical conductivity data of the IL were described by Vogel–Fulcher–Tamman and Arrhenius equations, respectively. Then, the relationship between the molar conductivity and dynamic viscosity of this IL was expressed through the Walden rule.

A novel approach to grow a 3D COF-320 membrane on a surface-modified porous α-Al2O3 substrate is developed. A compact and uniform COF-320 membrane with a layer thickness of ∼4 μm is obtained. This is the first reported 3D COF functional membrane fabricated successfully on a common porous α-Al2O3 ceramic support. The gas permeation results indicate that the gas transport behavior is mainly governed by the predicted Knudsen diffusion process due to the large nanopores of 3D COF-320.

The ionic liquid (IL), tetrabutylphosphonium trifluoroacetate ([P4444][CF3COO]), showed a low critical solution temperature (LCST)-type phase transition in water. Using this temperature-sensitive IL and the Triton X-100/H2O system, the reversible transformation between micelles and microemulsions was thus realized by a thermal stimulus for the first time.

We presented the immobilization of ionic liquids on the channel walls of COFs using a post-synthetic strategy. The ionic [Et4NBr]50%-Py-COF afforded a high CO2 adsorption capacity of 164.6 mg g−1 (1 bar, 273 K) and was developed as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the transformation of CO2 into value-added formamides under ambient conditions.

In the present contribution, results concerning the role of small amounts of water in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis 2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate ([bmim][AOT]) based 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4])-in-benzene reverse microemulsions are emphasized. The microemulsion aggregates have demonstrated features in common with traditional aqueous systems, such as a normal microemulsion droplet size and decreased stability due to the addition of a polar component. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed that the size change of microemulsion with added water depends on the loaded [bmim][BF4] content in the microemulsion: when the [bmim][BF4] content is low, the microemulsion diameter first decreases and then increases, while the size remains about the same for microemulsions with a moderate [bmim][BF4] loading and a successive increase in size was found for high-loaded [bmim][BF4] microemulsions. 1H NMR along with two-dimensional rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) experiments (ROESY) revealed that water molecules formed wide interactions with both 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([bmim]) and bis 2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate ([AOT]), leading to a decrease in the headgroup area of [bmim][AOT], i.e. α value, which will decrease the microemulsion size. On the other hand, addition of water can simultaneously swell the microemulsions, causing an increase in the diameter. It is also deduced that the Coulomb forces between the [AOT] and [bmim] should be one of the main driving forces for the formation of [bmim][BF4]-in-benzene microemulsions.