Light-driven Integration of Graphitic Carbon Nitride into Porous Polymer Networks

As a metal-free abundant polymeric semiconductor, carbon nitride has numerous advantages for photo-based applications span from hydrogen evolution, CO2 reduction, ion transport, organic synthesis and organic dye degradation. In detail, graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) synthesized from nitrogen-rich precursors via thermal polymerization resulting in efficient band gap along with tunable photoluminescence properties, enhances applied polymer supports after proper integration. Regarding that, recent publication detailed an integration process of organodispersible g-CN into highly commercialized resin called poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) through suspension photopolymerization is reported.¹ Moreover, surface activation of photo-active beads by endowing acid/base functionality was performed with visible light irradiation succesfully. Furtherly, successful transformation of g-CN embedded porous hydrogels from hydrophilic to hydrophobic via photoinduced surface modification based on g-CN photoactivity employing a non-toxic food additive molecule as a hydrophobization agent also performed.² Besides, subsequent pore substructuring via introducing secondary network photopolymerized within the pores was reported. The intention of this project was to mimic a water reservoir with nutrients for plants to provide a controllable releasing system by preventing water evaporation in soil applications.

Since g-CN is an organic semiconductor exhibiting sufficient charge separation under visible light illumination, a novel method for the oxidative photopolymerization of EDOT was successfully accomplished.³ Thanks to the absence of dissolved anions, so-formed neutral PEDOT is a highly viscous liquid that can be processed and post-doped easily.

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Cansu Esen

References

[1] C. Esen, M. Antonietti and B. Kumru*, J. App. Polym. Sci., 2021, 138, 50879.

[2] C. Esen and B. Kumru*, Beilstein J. Org. Chem., 2021, 17, 1323-1334.

[3] C. Esen, M. Antonietti and B. Kumru*, ChemPhotoChem, 2021, 5, 1-7.