2D Cationic Networks and Their Spherical Curvature with Tunable Opening-closing

Despite many cationic nanomaterials have been developed for efficient adsorption of anionic pollutants, tailoring a stable shape with denser cations on surface for advanced removal capability remains challenging. Here, a new strategy is presented for fabricating 2D cationic laminas and their curvature based on crosslinking of 2D supramolecular networks from hydrogen-bonded trimesic amide derivatives. Owing to the distribution of most cations on surface, two cationic nanostructures from crosslinking of supramolecular networks show fast sorption kinetics for anionic pollutants. Notably, the removal capacity of the capsule-like curvature 3 is more than twice that of lamina 1 for sufficient space around cationic sites in hollow aperture. Moreover, the capsule-like adsorbent is triggered to open and spontaneously release the adsorbed pollutants upon addition of halogen anions, which can be recovered by subsequent dialysis. Such strategy of capsule-like pocket with tunable opening-closing will provide a new ins...