Covalent Organic Framework (COF-1) under High Pressure

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2020 Jan 13;59(3):1087-1092. doi: 10.1002/anie.201907689. Epub 2019 Dec 2.

Abstract

COF-1 has a structure with rigid 2D layers composed of benzene and B3 O3 rings and weak van der Waals bonding between the layers. The as-synthesized COF-1 structure contains pores occupied by solvent molecules. A high surface area empty-pore structure is obtained after vacuum annealing. High-pressure XRD and Raman experiments with mesitylene-filled (COF-1-M) and empty-pore COF-1 demonstrate partial amorphization and collapse of the framework structure above 12-15 GPa. The ambient pressure structure of COF-1-M can be reversibly recovered after compression up to 10-15 GPa. Remarkable stability of highly porous COF-1 structure at pressures at least up to 10 GPa is found even for the empty-pore structure. The bulk modulus of the COF-1 structure (11.2(5) GPa) and linear incompressibilities (k[100] =111(5) GPa, k[001] =15.0(5) GPa) were evaluated from the analysis of XRD data and cross-checked against first-principles calculations.

Keywords: 2D materials; DFT calculations; Raman spectroscopy; XRD; high pressure.