Sulfonated conjugated microporous polymers bearing triphenylamine moieties for fast removal of cationic dyes from water

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), due to their high surface area, permanent pores and varied molecular structure, have attracted great attention in the past decade. However, it is difficult for most of them to disperse in water because of their hydrophobic molecular skeleton. Thus, they can barely be used in wastewater treatment. Herein, we synthesized three CMPs, two of which contained triphenylamine moieties, and introduced sulfonic group by mild sulfonation reaction. The sulfonated CMPs exhibited excellent dispersity in water and fast removal of cationic dyes property. Especially, the maximum Q e of methylene blue was up to 1330 mg/g due to high surface area, porous structure and a great deal of sulfonic groups. We hope this research can further expand the application scope of CMPs in wastewater treatment.