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 •O2− 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 •O2−. 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.