Single-Chain Conjugated Polymer Guests Confined inside Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs): Boosting the Detection and Degradation of a Sulfur Mustard Simulant

Real-time detection and effective degradation of toxic gases have attracted considerable attention in environmental monitoring and human health. Here, we demonstrate a solvent-assisted dynamic assembly strategy to strongly enhance the detection and degradation performance for 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES, as a sulfur mustard simulant) via confinement of a conjugated polymer in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The conjugated polymer poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-altbenzothiadiazole) (F8BT) is infiltrated into one-dimensional nanochannels of the Zr-based topological MOF NU-1000 in a single-chain manner, which is caused by the nanoconfinement effect and the steric hindrance between 9,9-dioctylfluorene units and benzothiadiazole units. The obtained F8BT⊂NU-1000 composites provide a high specific surface area and abundant active sites. Based on the cooperative effect of F8BT and NU-1000, rapid and sensitive detection of CEES has been achieved. Moreover, the F8BT⊂NU-1000 composites can selectively oxidize CEES into 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfoxide (CEESO) under mild photooxidation conditions. Overall, this study opens a new avenue for the fabrication of conjugated polymer/MOF hybrid materials that show great potential for the sensitive detection and effective removal of hazardous chemicals.