Preparation and photocatalytic property of exfoliated poly(phenylenethiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole) copolymers

Conjugated microporous polymers have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their high porosity, broad functionality and excellent chemical stability. In this work, the small-sized layered structure of poly(phenylenethiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) (p-PhTT) copolymer was achieved by a facile solvothermal-assisted exfoliation process in a polar organic solvent. Owing to the shorter diffusion length, the layered structure could enhance carrier diffusion from the interior to the surface, as well as provide more active sites in photocatalytic reaction. The obtained exfoliated p-PhTT copolymers show good dispersion and stability in aqueous solution and exhibit efficiently photocatalytic activity for degrading rhodamine B dye under visible-light irradiation. This effective method offers a promising strategy for exfoliating other organic porous polymers. Graphical Abstract