Room-Temperature Synthesis of a Fluorine-Functionalized Nanoporous Organic Polymer for Highly Efficient SF6 Adsorption and Separation

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) is widely used in the power industry and significantly contributes to the greenhouse effect, necessitating the development of efficient materials for SF₆ capture, particularly fluorine-containing materials. However, existing fluorine-containing materials often require complex monomers and high synthesis temperatures. Herein, we report the synthesis of a fluorine-functionalized carbazole-based nanoporous organic polymer (CNOP-7) at room temperature, using commercially available 4,4′-bis(9H-carbazole-9-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl and 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone. CNOP-7 contains 14.7% fluorine atoms and exhibits a high specific surface area of 1270 m²·g^–1, demonstrating excellent SF₆ adsorption and separation performance. The SF₆/N₂ selectivity of CNOP-7 reaches 107 at 273 K and 73 at 298 K. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments confirm that CNOP-7 can efficiently and repeatedly separate SF₆ from SF₆/N₂ mixtures. Molecular simulations reveal the mechanism behind its efficient separation. This work offers fresh perspectives on the development and fabrication of adsorbents for efficient SF₆ sequestration.