

FOLLOWUS
State Key Laboratory of Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
xxyzsq@zju.edu.cn (X.Y.X.)
nhuang@zju.edu.cn (N.H.)
Received:30 January 2026,
Accepted:09 March 2026,
Online First:03 June 2026,
Published:15 August 2026
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Hu, Z. Y.; Wen, F. X.; Xu, X. Y.; Huang, N. Managing interpenetration in 3D covalent organic frameworks with spatial-aromatic building blocks. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2026, 44, 2395–2402
Zhen-Yang Hu, Fu-Xiang Wen, Xiao-Yi Xu, et al. Managing Interpenetration in 3D Covalent Organic Frameworks with Spatial-aromatic Building Blocks[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 44(8): 2395-2402.
Hu, Z. Y.; Wen, F. X.; Xu, X. Y.; Huang, N. Managing interpenetration in 3D covalent organic frameworks with spatial-aromatic building blocks. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2026, 44, 2395–2402 DOI: 10.1007/s10118-026-3647-0.
Zhen-Yang Hu, Fu-Xiang Wen, Xiao-Yi Xu, et al. Managing Interpenetration in 3D Covalent Organic Frameworks with Spatial-aromatic Building Blocks[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 44(8): 2395-2402. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-026-3647-0.
Using a 6-connected triangular prismatic amine building block
an isoreticular pair of 3D COFs with
acs
topology was synthesized. The COF constructed from a planar-aromatic aldehyde building block exhibited a lower degree of interpenetration (2-fold) compared to its counterpart derived from a spatial-aromatic aldehyde building block (6-fold).
The regulation of interpenetration in three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs) poses a fundamental challenge while offering a powerful means to engineer their pore environments. In this study
we demonstrate that the geometry and electronic character of linear linkers are decisive for achieving such control. Using a rigid
sterically extended 6-connected trigonal prismatic amine building block
we synthesized an isoreticular pair of
acs
-topology 3D COFs to compare the influence of a fully aromatic linker. The resulting frameworks
tris(trimethyl-bis-4-aminophenylphenyl)benzene (TTAPB)- terephthalaldehyde (TPA)-COF and TTAPB-C
C-diformyl-
p
-carborane (DFCB)-COF
exhibited dramatically different degrees of interpenetration
6-fold and 2-fold
respectively. This contrast originates directly from the linker core; the planar
π
-conjugated TPA promotes dense
multifold interpenetration
whereas the globular
electron-deficient carborane introduces steric and electronic constraints that strongly limit network replication. Consequently
the difference in the interpenetration dictates the distinct porosity and gas adsorption behavior. By elucidating the structure-determining roles of monomer geometry and electronic properties
this work establishes a rational
design principle for programming interpenetration and porosity in 3D extended frameworks.
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