Ordered mesoporous carbon materials offer robust network of organized pores for energy storage and catalysis applications, but suffer from time-consuming and intricate preparations hindering their widespread use. Here we report a new and rapid synthetic route for a N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon structure through a preferential heating of iron oxide nanoparticles by microwaves. A nanoporous covalent organic polymer is first formed in situ covering the hard templates of assembled nanoparticles, paving the way for a long-range order in a carbonaceous nanocomposite precursor. Upon removal of the template, a well-defined cubic mesoporous carbon structure was revealed. The ordered mesoporous carbon was used in solid state hydrogen storage as a host scaffold for NaAlH4, where remarkable improvement in hydrogen desorption kinetics was observed. The state-of-the-art lowest activation energy of dehydrogenation as a single step was attributed to their ordered pore structure and N-doping effect.

Self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) is an alternative patterning technique that promises high resolution and density multiplication with lower costs. The defectivity of the resulting nanopatterns remains too high for many applications in microelectronics and is exacerbated by small variations of processing parameters, such as film thickness, and fluctuations of solvent vapor pressure and temperature, among others. In this work, a solvent vapor annealing (SVA) flow-controlled system is combined with design of experiments (DOE) and machine learning (ML) approaches. The SVA flow-controlled system enables precise optimization of the conditions of self-assembly of the high Flory–Huggins interaction parameter (χ) hexagonal dot-array forming BCP, poly(styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS). The defects within the resulting patterns at various length scales are then characterized and quantified. The results show that the defectivity of the resulting nanopatterned surfaces is highly dependent upon very small variations of the initial film thicknesses of the BCP, as well as the degree of swelling under the SVA conditions. These parameters also significantly contribute to the quality of the resulting pattern with respect to grain coarsening, as well as the formation of different macroscale phases (single and double layers and wetting layers). The results of qualitative and quantitative defect analyses are then compiled into a single figure of merit (FOM) and are mapped across the experimental parameter space using ML approaches, which enable the identification of the narrow region of optimum conditions for SVA for a given BCP. The result of these analyses is a faster and less resource intensive route toward the production of low-defectivity BCP dot arrays via rational determination of the ideal combination of processing factors. The DOE and machine learning-enabled approach is generalizable to the scale-up of self-assembly-based nanopatterning for applications in electronic microfabrication.

A structurally characterized novel dual–pocketed tetra–conjugated bisphenol–based chromophore (fluorescence = 652 nm) was synthesized in gram scale in ~90% yield from its tetraaldehyde. Highly selective, naked-eye detection of CN− (DMSO/H2O) was confirmed by interferent testing. A detection limit of 0.38 µM, within the permissible limit of CN− concentration in drinking water was achieved as mandated by WHO. The “reversibility” study shows potential applicability and reusability of Sen. Moreover, cost-effective and on-site interfaces, application tools such as fabricated cotton swabs, plastic Petri dishes, and filter papers further demonstrated the specific selectivity of Sen for the toxic CN−. In addition, an easily available and handy smartphone-assisted “Color Picker” app was utilized to help estimate the concentration of CN− ion present. A dual phenol deprotonation mechanism is active and supported by 1H NMR spectroscopic data and DFT calculation results.

Scalability, cost, and feasibility of porous structures in gas capture are prerequisites for emerging materials to be promising in the industry. Herein, a simpler variant of Friedel−Crafts’ synthesis of highly porous covalent organic polymers (COPs) based on an unprecedented solvent-mediated crosslinking is presented. Alkyl chlorides behave as both solvents and linkers in the presence of AlCl3. Studies on three classes of 18 different monomers using dichloromethane, chloroform, and 1,2-dichloroethane lead to producing 29 new COPs (124−152). Polymers are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, elemental composition analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and porosity analyzer. The synthesized COPs exhibit structures from nonporous to highly porous morphologies with Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas as high as 1685 m2 g−1. These COPs show high gas uptake toward CO2 (up to 4.71 mmol g−1 at 273 K, 1.1 bar), CH4 (up to 1.31 mmol g−1 at 273 K, 1.1 bar), and H2 (up to 2.02 wt% at 77 K, 1.1 bar). The findings point to significant potential in producing sustainable porous materials through simple and scalable methodology developed here.

In gas adsorption and metal recovery, inexpensive and covalently bonded porous polymers offer industrial feasibility, despite the challenge of having reactive functionalities while maintaining porosity. Herein, three highly porous covalent organic polymers (COPs), COP-210, COP-211, and COP-212, with porphyrin functionalities that are readily synthesized by a Friedel–Crafts reaction using chlorinated solvents as linkers are reported. The polymers exhibit competitive adsorption capacities for CO₂, H2, and CH4. Their porphyrin sites proved particularly effective in precious metal recovery, where COPs exhibit high selectivity toward gold, platinum, palladium, and silver. Analysis reveals that reductive metal capture is prevalent for gold and silver. Platinum is also captured through a combination of reduction and chelation. The gold adsorption capacities are 0.901–1.250 g g−1 with fast adsorption kinetics at low pH. COP-212 selectively recovers 95.6% of gold from actual electronic waste (e-waste) collected from junkyards. The results show that the inexpensive and scalable porous porphyrin polymers offer great potential in gas capture, separation, and precious metal recovery.