Core–Shell Magnetic Thiophene-Based Microporous Organic Networks for Selective Gold Recovery from E-Waste

The selective recovery of gold (Au) from complex matrices is of significant interest in environmental remediation and sustainable resource management. In this research, we report the design and development of a core–shell magnetic thiophene-functionalized microporous organic network (MON) for highly efficient and selective gold adsorption. The incorporation of a magnetic core reduces the material’s size to below 200 nm, significantly increasing its surface area and enhances adsorption performance. The thiophene moieties within the MON framework provide strong affinity toward gold ions through coordination chemistry, while the magnetic core enables rapid separation under an external magnetic field. Adsorption studies revealed that magnetic MON (MGN@MON) exhibits exceptionally fast kinetics, achieving over 99% removal efficiency within 1 min, far surpassing conventional gold adsorbents that require hours or days to reach equilibrium. The material also exhibited excellent reusability, retaining its adsorption capacity over multiple cycles. These findings highlight the potential of core–shell magnetic MONs as advanced functional materials for efficient and sustainable gold recovery.