Novel MOF-5 derived porous carbons as excellent adsorption materials for n-hexane

Abstract Porous carbons with high adsorption capacity of n -hexane were developed by carbonization of MOF-5 with green carbon sources (glucose or sucrose) and activation with KOH. The effects of the additions of carbon sources and KOH activator on the porosity of porous carbon were discussed. The porous carbon synthesized based on the optimized conditions was then characterized and tested for its adsorption performance towards n -hexane. Results show that BET surface area and pore volume of the porous carbon KC-S-B reach as high as 1902.6 m 2 /g and 1.29 cm 3 /g, respectively. KC-S-B exhibits super-high n -hexane capacity of 10.0 mmol/g, much higher than most reported n -hexane adsorbents. Moreover, KC-S-B exhibits high hydrophobicity and excellent water stability, which is significantly important when considering the material for adsorption applications in the ambient situation. KC-S-B as a novel MOF derived porous carbon with high adsorption capacity, high hydrophobicity and excellent water stability is an attractive candidate for volatile organic compounds adsorption.