Conjugated microporous polymers: their synthesis and potential applications in flexible electrodes

Abstract

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are a unique class of porous materials with π conjugated systems and permanent intrinsic porosity, and have a wide range of applications. With the rapid development of intelligent flexible electronic devices, the application of CMPs as a new electrode material in batteries and supercapacitors has attracted more and more attention due to their high redox activity, good physical and chemical stability, rich porous structure and large surface area. Although CMPs are widely used as electrode materials, they usually exist in an amorphous or semi-crystalline powder state with poor processing properties, thus limiting their application as flexible electrode materials. It is particularly important to develop CMPs as flexible electrode materials. In this paper, first, the synthesis of CMPs is reviewed. Second, the application of CMPs in flexible electronics is emphatically introduced. Finally, the problems and challenges of CMPs in flexible electrode materials are discussed. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of CMPs, which will facilitate the application of CMPs as high-performance flexible electrodes.