Ambient one-step synthesis and direct coating of highly crystalline covalent organic frameworks on arbitrary surfaces

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Abstract
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising materials for wide-ranging applications. Challenges with coating them onto surfaces have however limited their wider implementation in practice. We report an acoustomicrofluidic nebulization platform that enables rapid, one-step synthesis of highly crystalline COFs and their direct deposition as a coating under ambient conditions. Demonstrated with both two- and three-dimensional imine-based COFs, the method yields uniform COF films with nanometer to micrometer thicknesses, tuned simply by adjusting the nebulization time. Unlike conventional COF coating approaches, this strategy eliminates the need for any postsynthetic substrate heating or processing, thereby offering a general and scalable route for fabricating functional COF coatings on a variety of sensitive and complex substrates, including living tissue. As proof of concept, we demonstrate that COFs can constitute protective coatings on plant leaves for solar ultraviolet shielding, thus highlighting the potential of the platform to extend the deployment of COFs in real-world devices, biological systems, and environmental interfaces.
Funding Information
  • Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (101019003)
  • Australian Research Council (DP250101811)
  • Australian Research Council (DP250100971)
  • Australian Research Council (DP250101811)
  • European Regional Development Fund (IU16-014206)
  • Catalan Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (2021 SGR 00458)
  • CERCA Program of the Generalitat de Catalunya
  • HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (101034328)
  • Ministry of Research and Universities, Generalitat de Catalunya
  • Ochoa Centres of Excellence programme (CEX2021-001214-S)

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