Two Polyoxometalate-Encapsulated Two-Fold Interpenetrating dia Metal–Organic Frameworks for the Detection, Discrimination, and Degradation of Phenolic Pollutants

Abstract

Phenols are widely used for commercial production, while they pose a hazard to the environment and human health. Thus, investigation of convenient and efficient methods for the detection, discrimination, and degradation of phenols becomes particularly important. Herein, two new polyoxometalate (POM)-based compounds, [Co₂(btap)₄(H₂O)₄][SiW₁₂O₄₀] (Co-POM) and [Ni₂(btap)₄(H₂O)₄][SiW₁₂O₄₀] (Ni-POM) (btap = 3,5-bis(triazol-1-yl)pyridine), are prepared via a hydrothermal synthesis method. The compounds show a fascinating structural feature of a POM-encapsulated twofold interpenetrating dia metal–organic framework. More importantly, besides the novel structures, the compound Co-POM realizes three functions, namely, the simultaneous detection, discrimination, and degradation of phenols. Specifically, Co-POM shows an excellent colorimetric detection performance toward phenol with a detection limit (LOD) ca. 1.32 μM, which is lower than most reported colorimetric detectors for phenol. Also, a new colorimetric sensor system based on Co-POM can discriminate phenol, 4-chlorophenol, and o-cresol with ease. Further, Co-POM exhibits a photocatalytic degradation property for 4-chlorophenol under irradiation of visible light with the highest degradation rate at 62% after irradiation for 5 h. Therefore, this work provides the first example of a POMs-based multifunctional material for achieving the detection, discrimination, and degradation of phenolic pollutants.