Skip to main content
Wiley Open Access Collection logoLink to Wiley Open Access Collection
. 2024 Nov 6;64(3):e202415088. doi: 10.1002/anie.202415088

Achieving Sub‐ppm Sensitivity in SO2 Detection with a Chemically Stable Covalent Organic Framework

Wei Zhao 1,+, Juan L Obeso 2,3,+, Valeria B López‐Cervantes 2,+, Mounib Bahri 4, Elí Sánchez‐González 2, Yoarhy A Amador‐Sánchez 2, Junyu Ren 1, Nigel D Browning 4, Ricardo A Peralta 5, Giovanni Barcaro 6, Susanna Monti 7,, Diego Solis‐Ibarra 2,, Ilich A Ibarra 2,8,, Dan Zhao 1,
PMCID: PMC11735898  PMID: 39297429

Abstract

We report the inaugural experimental investigation of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to address the formidable challenge of SO2 detection. Specifically, an imine‐functionalized COF (SonoCOF‐9) demonstrated a modest and reversible SO2 sorption of 3.5 mmol g−1 at 1 bar and 298 K. At 0.1 bar (and 298 K), the total SO2 uptake reached 0.91 mmol g−1 with excellent reversibility for at least 50 adsorption‐desorption cycles. An isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (ΔHads ) for SO2 equaled −42.3 kJ mol−1, indicating a relatively strong interaction of SO2 molecules with the COF material. Also, molecular dynamics simulations and Møller–Plesset perturbation theory calculations showed the interaction of SO2 with π density of the rings and lone pairs of the N atoms of SonoCOF‐9. The combination of experimental data and theoretical calculations corroborated the potential use of this COF for the selective detection and sensing of SO2 at the sub‐ppm level (0.0064 ppm of SO2).

Keywords: covalent organic frameworks, SO2 adsorption, SO2 detection, fluorescence, chemical stability


This study introduces the first experimental exploration of COFs for SO2 detection. The imine‐functionalized COF exhibited reversible SO2 sorption with over 50 cycles of reversibility. The isosteric enthalpy of adsorption was measured at −42.3 kJ/mol, reflecting a strong SO2‐COF interaction. Molecular dynamics and Møller–Plesset calculations elucidated the interaction mechanisms, underscoring the COF′s potential for selective sub‐ppm SO2 sensing.

graphic file with name ANIE-64-e202415088-g004.jpg

Introduction

Sulfur dioxide (SO2), an irritant, colorless, and non‐flammable gas with a pungent odor, is cataloged by the World Health Organization as a highly venomous chemical to humans. Exposures exceeding 100 ppm of SO2 can be fatal in only a few minutes because it can be easily absorbed by dermal contact and the respiratory system.[ 1 , 2 ] Even at concentrations lower than 100 ppm, SO2 can be responsible for bronchoconstriction and impair lung function. For example, exposure to just 1.5 ppm of SO2 for a few minutes can induce temporary respiratory impairment. [3] Chronic bronchitis, laryngitis, and severe respiratory tract infections can be caused in healthy individuals at SO2 concentrations higher than 1.5 ppm. [4] Thus, air quality guidelines recommend limiting human exposure to SO2 to 500 μg m−3 (175 ppb) over a 10‐minute period and 20 μg m−3 (8 ppb) for daily averages. [5] SO2 serves as a precursor to particulate matter (PM), which is toxic to humans as well. [6] Additionally, SO2 is highly soluble in water, forming sulfurous acid, which can further oxidize to sulfuric acid, a major contributor to acid rain. This damages aquatic environments and hampers the growth of forests and crops. [7] In urban areas, acid rain can accelerate metal corrosion and deteriorate materials like limestone, marble, and mortar. [8] Hence, it is crucial to not only enhance air quality by diminishing emissions or augmenting SO2 capture but also monitor potentially polluted environments with SO2. Such measures are essential for averting severe health repercussions for individuals laboring in various urban settings. However, up to now, the vast majority of technological efforts toward SO2 have been focused on the capture of this toxic gas from scrubbers (based on aqueous alkaline solutions and wet‐sulfuric‐acid processes), with apparent drawbacks, including huge quantities of wastewater, pipeline corrosion, and high operational and recovery costs. [9] Current solid‐state materials for SO2 capture, e.g., metal oxides [10] and zeolites, [11] have considerable disadvantages like high activation temperatures (above 250 °C) and reduced porosity over multiple cycles. Consequently, there is a pressing need for materials capable of effectively detecting SO2, exhibiting both high responsiveness and chemical stability.

Porous materials, notably metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), have garnered attention for their potential in SO2 capture and sensing due to their high porosity. [12] Some promising results from selected examples demonstrate remarkable SO2 capture, [13] even under humid conditions. [14] Nonetheless, many MOFs have relatively poor chemical stability to SO2/water [15] and low detection limits to SO2. [16] In contrast, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), an emerging class of porous materials synthesized through reticular chemistry with building blocks containing light elements (e.g., C, H, O, N, and B) interconnected by covalent bonds, have exhibited elevated stability. [17] Their intrinsic stability, rooted in the covalent nature of their bonds, imparts greater stiffness to their structures, enhancing thermal and chemical stability and rendering them resilient to adverse conditions. [18] Apart from high stability, the functional diversity and structural adjustability of COFs find significant applications in several areas, including gas storage and separation, [19] heterogeneous catalysis, [20] drug delivery, [21] and electronic devices. [22] However, to our knowledge, no studies have specifically addressed the use of COFs for SO2 detection despite the considerable potential demonstrated by COFs in this field.

Here, we present the first example of a robust and crystalline COF, SonoCOF‐9 (Figure 1), [23] that addresses SO2 detection and sensing effectively. SonoCOF‐9 exhibits chemical stability to SO2, maintaining consistent capture capacity over 50 adsorption–desorption cycles without losing its crystallinity and porosity. Fluorescence experiments further revealed SonoCOF‐9 as a promising and effective selective detector and sensor for SO2 at the ppm level.

Figure 1.

Figure 1

a) Structure of SonoCOF‐9. b) PXRD of SonoCOF‐9. c) HR‐TEM image of SonoCOF‐9 (insert shows the FFT pattern, where 3.7 nm is the d‐spacing of (200) reflection).

Results and Discussion

Powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) confirms the phase purity of SonoCOF‐9 (Figure 1b). It showed an excellent crystallinity with two strong diffraction signals at 2.16° and 3.79°, and relatively weak signals at 4.38°, 5.81°, and 7.61°, which correspond to the (200), (001), (111), (221), and (202) reflections, respectively. Structural simulation (Figure S1) reveals that sonoCOF‐9 shows a monoclinic structure with the ffc net, together with the Pawley refinement profile (blue dots) aligning closely with the experimental pattern (Figure 1b, Rwp of 4.24 % and Rp of 3.09 %). High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) images (Figure 1c and Figure S2) depict well‐defined and highly crystalline SonoCOF‐9 crystallites. N2 sorption test at 77 K (Figure S3) demonstrates a Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area of 1147 m2 g−1 and a pore volume of 0.52 cm3 g−1. The pore size distribution of SonoCOF‐9 centers around 18 Å (Figure S4), which agrees with the pore width on the crystalline structure (19.5 Å).

Based on the SO2 isotherm of this COF (Figure 2a), an SO2 uptake of approximately 0.91 mmol g−1 was obtained at 0.1 bar. The SO2 adsorption isotherm exhibits an approximately linear increase from 0.1 to 0.5 bar, reaching a total uptake of ca. 2.9 mmol g−1. Finally, a relatively flat trend of SO2 sorption was observed from 0.5 to 1.0 bar, with a total SO2 uptake of 3.5 mmol g−1. This total SO2 uptake is comparable to several typical chemically stable porous materials.[ 24 , 25 ] For example, CTF‐CSU41 shows a higher SO2 uptake of 6.7 mmol g−1 at 298 K and 0.11 bar under kinetic conditions over a 360‐minute period. [26] For an amine‐functionalized COF, PI‐COF‐m60 displays 4.74 mmol g−1 at 298 K during a 60‐minute kinetic test. [27] At similar conditions, ICTF‐SCN exhibits 9.22 mmol g−1 at 298 K and 1 bar over a 60‐minute kinetic test. [28] Under static conditions, TAM‐POF shows 9.45 mmol g−1 at 298 K and 1 bar. [29]

Figure 2.

Figure 2

a) The SO2 isotherm of SonoCOF‐9 at 298 K and 1 bar. b) Adsorption–desorption cycles of SO2 in SonoCOF‐9 at 298 K and 0.1 bar. c) PXRD before and after SO2 sorption performance. d) SO2 interaction with SonoCOF‐9.

A slight hysteresis was observed in the SO2 desorption isotherm of SonoCOF‐9, indicating a relatively strong SO2/COF interaction energy. A key characteristic of a chemically stable material for SO2 detection is a relatively high interaction of SO2 with particular functional groups of the material. [30] Such interactions are most evident at the low pressures (P <0.1 bar). Since SO2 detection typically focuses on concentrations at the ppm level, these concentrations correspond to the low‐pressure range. For instance, flue gas shows SO2 concentrations up to 10,000 ppm, equivalent to pressures below 0.05 bar. [31]

Cycling experiments with SO2 at 298 K and 0.1 bar were conducted to assess the stability of the SO2 sorption performance. The results showed that the SO2 capture performance remained consistent over 50 adsorption–desorption cycles with a capacity of 0.92±0.11 mmol g−1 (Figure 2b). This SO2 cyclability corroborates that SO2 can be fully released during subsequent desorption cycles. Additionally, PXRD and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses of sonoCOF‐9 following 50 adsorption–desorption cycles verified retained crystallinity and stability (Figure 2c and Figure S5).

The host–guest interaction (SonoCOF‐9⋅⋅⋅SO2) was estimated by calculating the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (ΔH ads) for SO2 at low coverage using a fully activated sample of SonoCOF‐9 at 298 and 308 K (Figure S7). [32] The calculated ΔH ads (−42.3 kJ mol−1) indicates stable adsorbed SO2 layers on the COF's walls. This ΔH ads value is coherent with the observed SO2 isotherm hysteresis, which can be associated with a strong interaction of SO2 molecules with the π density of the rings and lone pairs of the N atoms from the ETTA building block, as disclosed by the classical reactive molecular dynamics simulations (ReaxFF MD) results and Møller–Plesset perturbation theory calculations (MP2) on reduced model systems of the COF. We also demonstrated that the decrease of ΔH ads as the SO2 adsorption increased (Figure S8) was probably due to the addition of the weaker binding species that laid on the ring plane connected to the COF structure through unconventional hydrogen bonds between the SO2 oxygen and the hydrogen of the benzylic ring (Figure 2d). However, being only a small percentage (around 25 %), these configurations had an almost undetectable effect on the total binding values, which were estimated from the MP2‐optimized models after grouping the adsorbates into families (i.e., stacked and hydrogen bonded).

The binding energy and enthalpy are displayed in Tables S1 and S2. The binding tendencies are clearly displayed in Figure S10, where a snapshot of the RMD trajectory is depicted. There, the occupation of the various regions of the COF framework is highlighted by the spatial distribution contours (dark yellow areas). It is apparent that the higher occupation densities are around the circular ten‐ring bands of the COF, where the molecules are preferentially accommodated on top of the ring planes, interacting with the framework but also with each other. To give an idea of the typical locations, we examined the atom‐atom radial distribution functions of S and O in relation to the carbon and hydrogen atoms of the COF. The position of the peak at short distances (lower than 3 Å, Figure S11) suggests that SO2 tends to stay connected to the framework but remains slightly further from the nitrogen sites (approximately 3.2 Å), which is most probably due to self‐intermolecular interactions that mitigated the adsorption distances. [33] Indeed, the evaluation of the binding energy on reduced model systems revealed that, on the one hand, these self‐interactions weakened the binding energy of each single molecule but, on the other hand, improved the stability of the formed SO2 shells.

In the dominant adsorption mode (75 % population), where the molecules were on top of the ring systems, the strongest binding was around −42 kJ mol−1, whilst the weakest was approximately −20 kJ mol−1. A representative geometry (extracted from the RMDs and optimized at the MP2 level, Figure S12) used for estimating the binding energy is displayed in Figure 2d. There, both characteristic adsorptions, namely in‐plane and out‐of‐plane, are shown. The average binding energy estimated considering the populations and the correction for the enthalpic contribution was approximately −30 kJ mol−1. The trend of the evolution of the adsorption enthalpy as a function of the COF uptake (Figure S8) indicates that this estimate corresponds to a scenario of intermediate coverage (Figure 2d), where the most interacting sites are occupied, and the other approaching guest molecules have a weaker interaction with the COF framework.

N2 sorption isotherm at 77 K showed that the surface area of this COF after SO2 sorption did not decrease significantly (from 1147 to 1053 m2 g−1, Figure S13). Moreover, the pore size distribution of SonoCOF‐9 centers after SO2 exposures is around 16 Å (Figure S14), which agrees with the value of the pristine material. These results demonstrate that SO2 can be fully released during SO2 cycle experiments without affecting the crystallinity and porosity of SonoCOF‐9. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses of the pristine COF after SO2 saturation and after SO2 adsorption‐desorption cycles revealed no significant changes in the submicrometric crystallite morphology and particle size of the material, supporting its stability and recyclability in the presence of SO2 (Figure S15).

Thus far, we have successfully demonstrated the reversible SO2 capture by SonoCOF‐9, particularly at low pressure (0.1 bar), identified the preferential adsorption sites of SO2, and evaluated the extraordinary chemical stability of this COF to SO2 uptake. Both reversible adsorption and stability are indeed ideal for SO2 detection. Selectivity is another crucial aspect of any detector. To compare the SO2/CO2 selectivity, CO2 sorption isotherm was collected at 298 K up to 1 bar (Figure S16). The SO2 uptake in SonoCOF‐9 surpassed the CO2 uptake across the entire pressure range. Subsequently, the selectivity of SO2 over CO2 at varying compositions (SO2/CO2) was calculated using the Python package (Table S3), pyIAST. [34] Our result indicates a remarkable SO2/CO2 selectivity by SonoCOF‐9, especially at low SO2 concentrations; e.g., a selectivity of 25.44 was estimated for a 1 : 99 SO2/CO2 mixture and 12.93 for a 10 : 90 mixture. These values are higher than or comparable to some representative porous materials, such as CPL‐1 (8.7 at 10 : 90 SO2/CO2), [35] Ni‐gallate (25 at 10 : 90 SO2/CO2), [36] NaX zeolite (3.2 at 10 : 90 SO2/CO2), [11] and MFM‐300 (31 at 10 : 90 SO2/CO2). [37]

Upon systematically establishing the promising SO2 adsorption characteristics of SonoCOF‐9, we explored the potential utilization of this COF material as a fluorescent SO2 detector. Due to the highly conjugated crystalline structure, COF displays multiple identical binding sites across the framework. Therefore, the signal can be effectively measured when the sample is stimulated, which can be related to fluorescence change. [38]

Initially, under visible light irradiation at λex=527 nm (Figure S19), an activated sample of SonoCOF‐9 exhibited a broad photoluminescence signal centered at λmax=622 nm (Figure 3a). Another activated sample of SonoCOF‐9 was exposed to 0.1 bar of SO2 using our homemade in situ adsorption system (Figure S17) to assess its photoluminescence absorption properties. Remarkably, the photoluminescence was almost wholly quenched (Figure 3a). This turn‐off effect at low pressure could be associated with the high interaction between SO2 molecules and SonoCOF‐9. A set of control experiments was carried out to evaluate the selectivity of SonoCOF‐9. The fluorescence of SonoCOF‐9 when exposed to air and CO2 (saturated) was measured. Notably, these exposures did not induce significant changes in the shape or intensity of the photoluminescence relative to the spectrum of activated SonoCOF‐9 (Figure 3a). Thus, the lack of substantial alterations in the emission shape or intensity during exposures to air and CO2 supports the selectivity of SonoCOF‐9 for SO2. This suggests that the observed fluorescence change is solely attributable to SO2 adsorption and is not influenced by the inclusion of other gases. The spectrum of a SonoCOF‐9 sample saturated with H2S was also carried out to test the effect of another acid gas on the material (Figure S20). Although H2S generated a change in the fluorescence of the material, this was not identical to that generated with SO2, since the quenching was not as pronounced as with SO2, confirming that the fluorescence response is more specific and sensitive to SO2.

Figure 3.

Figure 3

a) Solid‐state photoluminescent emission of SonoCOF‐9 with air, CO2, and SO2. b) Time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) of SonoCOF‐9 before (activated) and after SO2 sorption in the solid state. c) Linear fit, and d) TRPL of SonoCOF‐9 before (activated) and after SO2 sorption in THF solution.

Later, five independent exposition cycles were carried out (Figure S21). An activated SonoCOF‐9 sample was exposed to 0.1 bar of SO2, revealing a consistent absorption spectrum with an average decrease in emission intensity of 87 (±2) %. Up to this point, the results, while not directly translatable to SO2 sensing, consistently demonstrated a reduction in emission intensity upon re‐exposure to SO2 and re‐activation of theSonoCOF‐1 at 0.1 bar SO2 and air, which holds promise for the transition to the next stage: SO2 sensing. It is worth mentioning that we tested another working temperature of detection (308 K), finding a non‐temperature dependence (Figure S22).

To probe the possible mechanism of SO2 detection by SonoCOF‐9, we conducted time‐resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) experiments through a 375 nm picosecond‐pulsed laser for excitation (Figure 3b). TRPL analyses were performed on both an activated SonoCOF‐9 and a sample exposed to 0.1 bar of SO2. Photoluminescence decay was recorded at 622 nm. The average decay lifetime decreased moderately upon SO2 exposure (Table S4). Specifically, the average fluorescence lifetime of activated SonoCOF‐9 (at λemission=622 nm) was 0.41 ns, whereas that of SonoCOF‐9 exposed to 0.1 bar of SO2 (at λemission=622 nm) was 0.24 ns. Considering that the decrease in half‐life is minimal (from 0.41 ns to 0.24 ns) and the turn‐off effect is very significant, we postulate that the drastic decrease in emission intensity (≈87 %) is due to a static quenching,[ 39 , 40 ] indicating that the electronic transition π*→π centered on the building blocks of the SonoCOF‐9 structure could be avoided due to the formation of a non‐fluorescent “complex” in the basal state due to the previously discussed intermolecular interactions occurring between SonoCOF‐9 and SO2. [41]

Once the selective SO2 detection properties of SonoCOF‐9 at 0.1 bar of SO2 were established, we aimed to explore its potential for sensing applications at very low SO2 concentrations (sub‐ppm level). It is worth mentioning that 0.1 bar of SO2 equals approximately 20,000 ppm (considering our experimental setup at 0.2 L and 298 K, Figure S17). This concentration is deemed high, far exceeding the ppm regime. [42] Although SonoCOF‐9 consistently showed a significant fluorescence change (turn‐off effect) upon exposure to 0.1 bar of SO2, accurately quantifying the precise amount of SO2 remains challenging. Additionally, the most pertinent SO2 concentration regime for a sensing material is at the sub‐ppm level. Thus, solutions of SO2 in THF were used to investigate the sensing properties of SonoCOF‐9 by luminescence. First, we measured the photoluminescence absorption properties of 2.5 mg of pristine SonoCOF‐9 suspended in 3 mL anhydrous THF, which is equivalent to a concentration of 327.8 μM SonoCOF‐9 in THF. The shape of the fluorescence spectrum agreed with the spectrum of the solid‐state material with an emission maximum at 622 nm (Figure S23). Later, a solution with a concentration of 1×10−4 mM (0.0001 mM=0.0064 ppm=6.4 ppb) of SO2 (in anhydrous THF) was prepared, and the fluorescence emission was measured on the resultant suspension (Figure S24). Upon immersion of the SonoCOF‐9 in the SO2 solution, the photoluminescence emission intensity increased by 70.05 %. Six independent experiments of suspensions (1×10−4 mM) with SonoCOF‐9 were prepared and analyzed by luminescence. Consistently, the same emission spectra were observed with an approximate 70 % increase in emission intensity (Figure S25), showcasing remarkable reproducibility. It is noteworthy that the change in fluorescence response was observed immediately after the immersion of the COF material in the SO2 solution, and the response remained stable for up to 12 hours (Figure S26). Table S6 gives a brief review of different materials that have been tested for SO2 detection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the SO2 detection capability of a COF material.

The high affinity of SonoCOF‐9 for SO2 enables us to estimate the limit of detection (LOD) by measuring fluorescence emission intensity as a function of the SO2 concentration. The LOD was calculated with the formula: LOD=3σ/m, where σ is the standard deviation of the initial intensity of pristine SonoCOF‐9, and m represents the slope of the linear fit from the experimental data (Figure 3c). [43] The resulting LOD value for SO2 sensing in a THF solution was estimated to be 1.36 mM. Additionally, the Stern–Volmer plot (Figure S27) affords a quenching parameter (Ksv) of 7.6×10−6 M−1. This relatively low value corroborates the high affinity of SonoCOF‐9 for SO2. [44] The value agrees with the detection of acid compounds (3.12×10−7 M−1). [45]

We performed TRPL experiments (Figure 3d) on THF suspensions of a pristine sample of SonoCOF‐9 and a sample exposed to 1×10−4 mM of SO2, where measurements were performed at λem=622 nm. Herein, an apparent decrease in photoluminescence half‐life times was obtained after SO2 exposure (Table S5), going from 5.25 ns for the pristine sample suspension to 1.23 ns for the sample exposed to 1×10−4 mM SO2. This apparent decrease in the half‐life times suggests that a small amount of SO2 is enough to stiffen SonoCOF‐9, which in turn results in a consistent photoluminescence turn‐on effect of ca. 70 %. These results again confirm the propensity of SO2 molecules to interact favorably with the COF framework.

At a very low concentration of SO2 (0.0064 ppm), there is an effective interaction between SonoCOF‐9 and SO2 molecule, which enhances the stiffness of the structural molecular motions, hindering the non‐radiative decay pathways of the excited state.[ 46 , 47 ] In other words, vibrational relaxations with half‐lives of 10−12 s or less lead to an increased fluorescence lifetime, and the increased number of excited species undergoing radiatively decay contributes to enhanced photoluminescence. On the other hand, at high SO2 concentrations (20,000 ppm), after the continuous interaction of SO2 with the COF, the preferential adsorption sites of the COF became saturated, and the interactions between SO2 molecules, SO2⋅⋅⋅SO2, occurred as previously reported, [48] leading to a quenching effect. More specifically, our current hypothesis is that at high SO2 concentrations, the predominant interactions and exchange dynamics within the pores of the COF are governed by SO2⋅⋅⋅SO2 interactions rather than COF⋅⋅⋅SO2 interactions. This preference for SO2⋅⋅⋅SO2 interactions leads to minimizing the stiffening effects and additional beneficial electronic effects arising from the COF⋅⋅⋅SO2 interaction, thereby quenching the fluorescence in favor of non‐radiative processes (vibrational relaxation).[ 49 , 50 ]

Conclusion

In conclusion, we report the first experimental investigation on the sorption and detection of SO2 on a COF (SonoCOF‐9). While the SO2 uptake of 3.5 mmol g−1 (298 K and 1 bar) does not rival the leading MOF materials and polymers, SonoCOF‐9 demonstrates outstanding chemical stability toward SO2 and maintains excellent cyclability over a minimum of 50 sorption/desorption cycles without compromising its crystalline structure. Notably, the combination of imine functionalities and aromatic moieties of SonoCOF‐9 was demonstrated to be the key for the selective detection of SO2 with the relatively high energy of interaction (−42.3 kJ mol−1), which also provided the ability to sense SO2 at the sub‐ppm level (0.0064 ppm), making SonoCOF‐9 promising for practical SO2 sensing.

Conflict of Interests

There are no conflicts to declare.

1.

Supporting information

As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer reviewed and may be re‐organized for online delivery, but are not copy‐edited or typeset. Technical support issues arising from supporting information (other than missing files) should be addressed to the authors.

Supporting Information

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education ‐ Singapore (MOE‐T2EP10122‐0002), the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA‐EP009‐SEGC‐020), the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (U2102d2004, U2102d2012), and the National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF‐CRP26‐2021RS‐0002, NRF‐NRFI08‐2022‐0008). I.A.I thank PAPIIT‐UNAM (Grant IIN201123), Mexico, for financial support. V. B. L.‐C. and J. L. O. thank CONAHCYT for the Ph.D. fellowship (1005649, 1003953). Y.A.A.‐S. acknowledges the support from the DGAPA‐UNAM postdoctoral fellowship. The authors thank Dr. Omar Novelo and Dr. Lourdes Bazán‐Díaz from the University Laboratory of Electron Microscopy of the UNAM (LUME) for SEM analysis. The TEM analysis was performed in the Albert Crewe Centre for Electron Microscopy, a University of Liverpool Shared Research Facility. The authors thank U. Winnberg (Euro Farmacos EIR) for scientific discussions and G. Ibarra‐Winnberg for conceptualizing the design of this contribution.

Zhao W., Obeso J. L., López-Cervantes V. B., Bahri M., Sánchez-González E., Amador-Sánchez Y. A., Ren J., Browning N. D., Peralta R. A., Barcaro G., Monti S., Solis-Ibarra D., Ibarra I. A., Zhao D., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e202415088. 10.1002/anie.202415088

Contributor Information

Prof. Susanna Monti, Email: susanna.monti@pi.iccom.cnr.it.

Prof. Diego Solis‐Ibarra, Email: diego.solis@unam.mx.

Prof. Ilich A. Ibarra, Email: argel@unam.mx.

Prof. Dan Zhao, Email: chezhao@nus.edu.sg.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  • 1. Meng Z., Liu Y., Wu D., Inhalation Toxicol. 2005, 17, 303–307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2. Bernstein J. A., Alexis N., Barnes C., Bernstein I. L., Nel A., Peden D., Diaz-Sanchez D., Tarlo S. M., Williams P. B., Bernstein J. A., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 2004, 114, 1116–1123. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 3. Reno A. L., Brooks E. G., Ameredes B. T., Environ. Health Insights 2015, 9s1, EHI.S15671. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 4. Chiang T.-Y., Yuan T.-H., Shie R.-H., Chen C.-F., Chan C.-C., Environ. Int. 2016, 96, 1–7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5. Zhang H., Srinivasan R., Sustainability 2020, 12, 9045. [Google Scholar]
  • 6. Chan C. K., Yao X., Atmos. Environ. 2008, 42, 1–42. [Google Scholar]
  • 7. Kavian A., Alipour A., Soleimani K., Gholami L., Smith P., Rodrigo-Comino J., Hydrol. Process. 2019, 33, 261–270. [Google Scholar]
  • 8. Shi Z., Zhang J., Xiao Z., Lu T., Ren X., Wei H., J. Environ. Manage. 2021, 297, 113213. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 9. Srivastava R. K., Jozewicz W., Singer C., Environ. Prog. 2001, 20, 219–228. [Google Scholar]
  • 10. Romano E. J., Schulz K. H., Appl. Surf. Sci. 2005, 246, 262–270. [Google Scholar]
  • 11. Yi H., Deng H., Tang X., Yu Q., Zhou X., Liu H., J. Hazard. Mater. 2012, 203, 111–117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 12. Obeso J. L., López-Cervantes V. B., Flores C. V., Martínez A., Amador-Sánchez Y. A., Portillo-Velez N. S., Lara-García H. A., Leyva C., Solis-Ibarra D., Peralta R. A., Dalton Trans. 2024, 53, 4790–4796. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 13. Gupta N. K., López-Olvera A., González-Zamora E., Martínez-Ahumada E., Ibarra I. A., ChemPlusChem 2022, 87, e202200006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 14. Martínez-Ahumada E., Kim D. W., Wahiduzzaman M., Carmona-Monroy P., López-Olvera A., Williams D. R., Martis V., Lara-García H. A., López-Morales S., Solis-Ibarra D., Maurin G., Ibarra I. A., Hong C. S., J. Mater. Chem. A 2022, 10, 18636–18643. [Google Scholar]
  • 15. Brandt P., Nuhnen A., Lange M., Möllmer J., Weingart O., Janiak C., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 17350–17358. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 16. Tchalala M. R., Bhatt P. M., Chappanda K. N., Tavares S. R., Adil K., Belmabkhout Y., Shkurenko A., Cadiau A., Heymans N., De Weireld G., Maurin G., Salama K. N., Eddaoudi M., Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 1328. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 17. Gilmanova L., Bon V., Shupletsov L., Pohl D., Rauche M., Brunner E., Kaskel S., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 18368–18373. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 18. Shi B., Pang X., Li S., Wu H., Shen J., Wang X., Fan C., Cao L., Zhu T., Qiu M., Yin Z., Kong Y., Liu Y., Zhang M., Liu Y., Pan F., Jiang Z., Nat. Commun. 2022, 13, 6666. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 19. Zeng Y., Zou R., Zhao Y., Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 2855–2873. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 20. Lu M., Zhang M., Liu J., Chen Y., Liao J., Yang M., Cai Y., Li S., Lan Y., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202200003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 21. Guo H., Liu Y., Wu N., Sun L., Yang W., ChemistrySelect 2022, 7, e202202538. [Google Scholar]
  • 22. Wang W., Zhao W., Xu H., Liu S., Huang W., Zhao Q., Coord. Chem. Rev. 2021, 429, 213616. [Google Scholar]
  • 23. Zhao W., Yan P., Yang H., Bahri M., James A. M., Chen H., Liu L., Li B., Pang Z., Clowes R., Browning N. D., Ward J. W., Wu Y., Cooper A. I., Nat. Synth. 2022, 1, 87–95. [Google Scholar]
  • 24. Martínez-Ahumada E., López-Olvera A., Carmona-Monroy P., Díaz-Salazar H., Garduño-Castro M. H., Obeso J. L., Leyva C., Martínez A., Hernández-Rodríguez M., Solis-Ibarra D., Ibarra I. A., Dalton Trans. 2022, 51, 18368–18372. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 25. López-Cervantes V. B., Bara D., Yañez-Aulestia A., Martínez-Ahumada E., López-Olvera A., Amador-Sánchez Y. A., Solis-Ibarra D., Sánchez-González E., Ibarra I. A., Forgan R. S., Chem. Commun. 2023, 59, 8115–8118. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 26. Fu Y., Wang Z., Li S., He X., Pan C., Yan J., Yu G., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2018, 10, 36002–36009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 27. Lee G.-Y., Lee J., Vo H. T., Kim S., Lee H., Park T., Sci. Rep. 2017, 7, 557. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 28. Zhu H., Lin W., Li Q., Hu Y., Guo S., Wang C., Yan F., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2020, 12, 8614–8621. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 29. Chen S., Wu Y., Zhang W., Wang S., Yan T., He S., Yang B., Ma H., Chem. Eng. J. 2022, 429, 132480. [Google Scholar]
  • 30. Zhang X., Zhai Z., Wang J., Hao X., Sun Y., Yu S., Lin X., Qin Y., Li C., ChemNanoMat 2021, 7, 1117–1124. [Google Scholar]
  • 31. Liu Y., Bisson T. M., Yang H., Xu Z., Fuel Process. Technol. 2010, 91, 1175–1197. [Google Scholar]
  • 32. Nuhnen A., Janiak C., Dalton Trans. 2020, 49, 10295–10307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 33. Brandt P., Xing S.-H., Liang J., Kurt G., Nuhnen A., Weingart O., Janiak C., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 29137–29149. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 34. Simon C. M., Smit B., Haranczyk M., Comput. Phys. Commun. 2016, 200, 364–380. [Google Scholar]
  • 35. Zhang Y., Chen Z., Liu X., Dong Z., Zhang P., Wang J., Deng Q., Zeng Z., Zhang S., Deng S., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2020, 59, 874–882. [Google Scholar]
  • 36. Chen F., Lai D., Guo L., Wang J., Zhang P., Wu K., Zhang Z., Yang Q., Yang Y., Chen B., Ren Q., Bao Z., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 9040–9047. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 37. Zárate J. A., Sánchez-González E., Williams D. R., González-Zamora E., Martis V., Martínez A., Balmaseda J., Maurin G., Ibarra I. A., J. Mater. Chem. A 2019, 7, 15580–15584. [Google Scholar]
  • 38. Guo L., Yang L., Li M., Kuang L., Song Y., Wang L., Coord. Chem. Rev. 2021, 440, 213957. [Google Scholar]
  • 39. Tanwar A. S., Parui R., Garai R., Chanu M. A., Iyer P. K., ACS Meas. Sci. Au 2022, 2, 23–30. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 40.J. R. Lakowicz, Ed., in Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Springer US, Boston, MA, 2006, pp. 277–330.
  • 41. Sharma A., Kim D., Park J.-H., Rakshit S., Seong J., Jeong G. H., Kwon O.-H., Lah M. S., Commun. Chem. 2019, 2, 39. [Google Scholar]
  • 42. Hanif M. A., Ibrahim N., Abdul Jalil A., Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2020, 27, 27515–27540. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 43. Das A., Das S., Trivedi V., Biswas S., Dalton Trans. 2019, 48, 1332–1343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 44. Rajendiran N., Polyhedron 2002, 21, 951–957. [Google Scholar]
  • 45. Kadian S., Manik G., Lumin. 2020, 35, 763–772. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 46. Srujana P., Radhakrishnan T. P., Mater. Chem. Front. 2018, 2, 632–634. [Google Scholar]
  • 47. Cai Y., Du L., Samedov K., Gu X., Qi F., Sung H. H. Y., Patrick B. O., Yan Z., Jiang X., Zhang H., Lam J. W. Y., Williams I. D., Lee Phillips D., Qin A., Tang B. Z., Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 4662–4670. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 48. Chen S., Wu Y., Zhang W., Wang S., Yan T., He S., Yang B., Ma H., Chem. Eng. J. 2022, 429, 132480. [Google Scholar]
  • 49. Gierschner J., Shi J., Milián-Medina B., Roca-Sanjuán D., Varghese S., Park S., Adv. Opt. Mater. 2021, 9, 2002251. [Google Scholar]
  • 50. Rurack K., Resch-Genger U., Chem. Soc. Rev. 2002, 31, 116–127. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Supplementary Materials

As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting information supplied by the authors. Such materials are peer reviewed and may be re‐organized for online delivery, but are not copy‐edited or typeset. Technical support issues arising from supporting information (other than missing files) should be addressed to the authors.

Supporting Information

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.


Articles from Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English) are provided here courtesy of Wiley

RESOURCES