External-stimulus-responsive Covalent Organic Framework

Description

Due to their switchable properties under the external stimuli, smart materials have arisen tremendous attentions and shown great potential in various fields. As an emerging class of crystalline porous materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are attractive in stimulus-responsive applications because of the easiness of structure modifying, tunability of optoelectronic properties and repeatability of utilization. However, unlike other COFs widely used in energy storage, gas adsorption, and catalyst, the development of stimulus-responsive COFs remains a challenge. Moreover, smart COFs with stimulus-responsive chromism are highly desirable in practical applications such as sensing and bio-medicine but rarely investigated. In this project, smart COFs could be constructed by introducing stimulus-responsive moieties via either bottom-up synthesis or post-functionalization. The structure-function relationships will be systematically investigated to reveal the mechanisms. This project, if supported, would promote the development of both COFs and stimulus-responsive materials, as well as accelerate the practical applications of smart materials, which would have a great benefit to smart Hong Kong.