One-step synthesis of triazine-based covalent organic frameworks at room temperature for efficient photodegradation of bisphenol A under visible light irradiation

Herein, a novel visible-light-responsive photocatalyst with high efficiency was firstly synthesized at room temperature. The mild synthetic method resulted in a uniform spherical triazine-based covalent organic framework (TrCOF2) with ultra-high specific surface area as well as chemical stability. Due to the synergistic effect between the self-assembled uniform spherical structure and the abundant triazine-based structure, photoelectron–hole pairs were efficiently separated and migrated on the catalysts. On this basis, TrCOF2 was successfully applied to efficiently degrade bisphenol A (BPA). More than 98% of BPA was deraded after 60 min of visible light treatment, where the active specie of •O ⁻₂ played a vital role during the degradation of BPA. The holes of TrCOF2 could produce O₂ by direct reaction with water or hydroxide ions. Simultaneously, photoelectrons can be captured by O₂ to generate •O ⁻₂ . Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations proved the outstanding ability of the exciting electronic conductivity. Remarkably, a reasonable photocatalytic mechanism for TrCOF2 catalysts was proposed. This research can provide a facile strategy for the synthesis of TrCOFs catalysts at room temperature, which unfolds broad application prospects in the environmental field.