Heteroepitaxy of lattice matched covalent organic frameworks

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Frederik Haase
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis ; Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation ; Polymer Materials
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 549560111

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are of interest for applications to precise structural control, but face challenges in achieving structural diversity. Strategies involving increasingly complex organic building blocks have been employed, but their synthesis complexity and costs hinder practical applications. Systematic searches for novel structures and mixed-linker approaches offer potential solutions, albeit with challenges in characterization and synthesis. This project aims tackle this challenge by using simple building blocks to create molecularly defined interfaces between structurally dissimilar COFs by epitaxial growth, offering a path to tunable electronic and optical properties. Based on preliminary work delivering a proof-of-principle of epitaxy occurring in lattice matched COFs, we propose to systematically investigate this phenomenon. Our approach involves establishing highly controlled synthesis conditions for substrates and epitaxial growth, characterizing the interface, investigating applications, and understanding synthesis mechanisms. Our proposed research aims to advance the COF field by establishing well defined heterostructures in COFs, paving the way for transformative advancements in materials science and beyond.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants