Nanoporous organic polymer networks

Nanoporous organic polymer networks are a class of materials consisting solely of the lighter elements in the periodic table. These materials have potential uses in areas such as storage, separation, and catalysis. Here, we review the different classes of nanoporous polymer networks including covalent organic frameworks, hypercrosslinked polymers, conjugated microporous polymers, and polymers of intrinsic microporosity. The growing variety in synthetic routes to these materials allows a range of different polymer networks to be formed, including crystalline and amorphous structures. It is also possible to incorporate many different kinds of functional groups in a modular fashion. So far, most networks have been examined from the perspective of gas sorption, and this area is discussed critically and in depth in this review. The use of nanoporous organic polymers for applications such as catalysis and separations is an important developing area, and we discuss recent developments as well as highlighting potential future opportunities. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.