Conjugated microporous polymers for advanced chemical sensing applications

Exploring advanced chemical sensing applications using porous materials is of critical importance for emerging industries such as Internet of Things, carbon neutrality, new energy resources, etc. Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), being well-renowned for their extended π-π conjugations, tunable pore structures, tailored chemical components, and high surface areas, have attracted increasing interests for chemical sensing applications. Here, recent milestones in the sensing applications of CMPs are presented, with an emphasis on the synthetic routes, structural requirements or parameters that dominate their sensing properties and functionalities. This review focuses on multiple chemical sensing devices including: i) fluorescent sensors, ii) electrochemical sensors, iii) colorimetric sensors, iv) resistive sensors, and v) versatile sensors. The key application areas of these CMPs-based sensors for detecting multiple matters including industrial exhausts, explosives, metal cations, halogen species, micropollutants, organic hazards, biological matters, and multiple. species, etc., are highlighted. The in-depth understanding of the sensing mechanisms and structure-property-function relationships of CMPs are also provided. Finally, a perspective on the future research directions and challenges of CMPs-based sensors is presented.