Triptycene-based ladder monomers and polymers, methods of making each, and methods of use

A composition, comprising:

• a monomer described by the following structure:
• wherein Ar is a substituted or un-substituted aromatic moiety, wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• hydrogen, a substituted or un-substituted, linear or branched methyl, ethyl, or propyl group, a substituted or un-substituted aryl group, a substituted or un-substituted heteroaryl group, and substituted or un-substituted phenyl group, and wherein X is fluorine.

A membrane, comprising:

• a polymer including a triptycene-based ladder polymer having the following structure:
• wherein n is 1 to 10,000, wherein Ar is a substituted or un-substituted aromatic moiety, wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or un-substituted, branched or linear methyl, ethyl, or propyl group, a substituted or un-substituted aryl group, a substituted or un-substituted heteroaryl group, and a substituted or un-substituted phenyl group.

A method of separating a gas from a gas mixture, comprising:

• separating a first gas from a first gas mixture with a membrane to form a second gas mixture, wherein the membrane includes a polymer including a triptycene-based ladder polymer having the following structure:
• wherein n is 1 to 10,000, wherein Ar is a substituted or un-substituted aromatic moiety, wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of:
• hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or un-substituted, branched or linear methyl, ethyl, or propyl group, a substituted or un-substituted aryl group, a substituted or un-substituted heteroaryl group, and a substituted or un-substituted phenyl group.