Halogen Bonding-Driven Supramolecular Polymers Based on Pillararenes for Efficient Iodine Capture

Incorporating macrocycles with unique structures and properties into polymers can increase the number and specificity of interaction sites between the polymer and pollutants, thereby enhancing the potential for pollutant adsorption. This study introduces a supramolecular polymer formed by halogen bonding interactions between a pillar[5]arene derivative (10BrP5) as an electron acceptor and tris(4-(pyridinyl-4)phenyl)amine (TPPA) as an electron donor. The resulting supramolecular polymer, 10BrP5-TPPA (10BPTP for short), shows exceptional iodine capture capabilities, removing volatile iodine at a rate of 1.57 g g–1 h–1 and rapidly capturing iodine from solution with a kinetic rate of 2.7 × 10–2 g mg–1 min–1. This approach leverages the unique properties of halogen bonding to construct a stable and functional material for efficient iodine adsorption, offering valuable insights for the future development of iodine adsorbents.