Conjugated microporous polymers containing ferrocene units for high carbon dioxide uptake and energy storage

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics 2022-08, Vol.287, p.126177, Article 126177
• Main Authors: Samy, Maha Mohamed, Sharma, Santosh U., Mohamed, Mohamed Gamal, Mohammed, Ahmed A.K., Chaganti, Swetha V., Lee, Jyh-Tsung, Kuo, Shiao-Wei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chichibabin reaction; Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs); Energy storage; Ferrocene; Nyquist plots
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2022.126177

In this study, we employed facile aminative cyclizations (Chichibabin pyridine reactions) of 1,1′-diacetylferrocene (AFC) with aryl aldehydes to prepare conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) containing ferrocene moieties, for supercapacitor applications. The chemical structure of these AFC-CMPs frameworks was proved by using FTIR and solid 13C NMR spectroscopies. All these AFC-CMPs featured outstanding thermal stability with decomposition temperature (Td10) ranging from 309 to 337 °C and also these AFC-CMPs possess an amorphous structure with BET values in the range 72–341 m2 g−1. Among our tested systems, the BP-FC-CMP electrode achieved the highest specific capacitance of 608 F g−1 at a 0.5 A g−1 and the highest capacity retention of 97.47% after 2000 cycles and good CO2 ability uptake. This behavior arose from its high porosity facilitating redox reactions with faster kinetics. These novel metal-free CMPs have promise for application in secondary energy devices. •Conjugated microporous polymers containing ferrocene moieties were successfully constructed.•Our AFC-CMPs possessed outstanding thermal stability and suitable surface areas.•The amounts of CO2 adsorbed by BP-FC-CMP were 1.3 and 2.22 mmol g−1 at 298 and 273 K: respectively.•The BP-FC-CMP electrode achieved the highest specific capacitance and capacity retention.