Heptazine derivatives for the assembly of supramolecular structures and porous networks

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Arne Thomas
• Subject Area: Polymer Materials ; Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 290138723

The objective of this project is the synthesis of novel heptazine (C6N7) based materials and their use as metal free photocatalysts. Polymeric carbon nitrides, which have recently gained remarkable attention as metal free semiconductors for photocatalytic water splitting, are composed out of condensed heptazine units. However, such polymeric carbon nitrides can just be prepared at high temperatures, which make a control of their nanostructure and morphology as well as an alteration of their chemical structure extremely difficult. In this project we therefore aim for the synthesis of defined molecular heptazine derivatives, which can then be transferred into heptazine-based materials in a controlled manner. On the one hand heptazine derivatives will be synthesized, which can build up supramolecular structures by non-covalent bonds. Controlled carbonisation of these heptazine aggregates should then yield nanostructured polymeric carbon nitrides. On the other hand it is planned to prepare heptazine derivatives which can act as monomers for the synthesis of microporous polymer networks (MPNs) or covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with high permanent surface areas. The here proposed concept will therefore yield in novel metal-free photocatalysts, with the possibility to tailor their chemical and electronic structure, as well as their surface area and morphology.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants