Rational construction of porous aromatic frameworks for photo-enhanced gold recovery from e-waste

• The D-A structured Tz-Tp PAF is innovatively applied for cost-effective photocatalytic gold recovery from electronic waste. • Tz-Tp PAF exhibits a breakthrough gold recovery capacity of 3227.33 mg g −1 under visible light irradiation . • The cost of Tz-Tp PAF ($422.19 per kg of gold) is lower than the market cost. • The synergistic effect of thiophene and triazine units enhances photocatalytic performance and affinity toward [AuCl 4 ] − . Achieving a gold recovery platform that offers high selectivity, exceptional stability, strong photoactivity, large capacity, low cost, as well as scalability remains a significant challenge. Herein, we present the first triazine- and thiophene-functionalized porous aromatic framework (Tz-Tp PAF), synthesized via the Scholl reaction, for efficient photo-enhanced gold recovery from e-waste. Tz-Tp PAF, with its open and rigid framework, abundant binding sites, and exceptional photocatalytic activity, serves as an ideal platform for gold recovery through chemical adsorption and photocatalytic reduction, achieving a breakthrough extraction capacity of 3227.33 mg g −1 . In the dark, Tz-Tp PAF selectively binds gold through thiophene groups on its open framework and reduces Au(III) to Au(0), enabling a high gold recovery capacity. Meanwhile, the synergistic interaction between thiophene (donor) and triazine (acceptor) in the rigid framework greatly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Tz-Tp PAF, enabling additional Au(III) reduction under visible light irradiation, resulting in accelerated adsorption kinetics and enhanced capacity. More importantly, the robust Tz-Tp PAF can be integrated into various devices, enabling fast and efficient gold recovery from e-waste leachate (achieving a commercial-grade capacity of approximately 2681.52 mg g −1 within 30 min), and the final cost of Tz-Tp PAF is $422.19 per kg of gold, which is much lower than the current market cost.