Mesoporous carbon–ZrO2 composites prepared using thermolysis of zirconium based metal–organic frameworks and their adsorption properties

Mesoporous carbon–ZrO2 (MCZ) composites are prepared using a simple thermal conversion of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). By choosing a zirconium based MOFs, called UiO-66, as both the Zr and C precursor and the porous template, porous carbon–ZrO2 hybrid materials are formed by carbonizing UiO-66 at 600 °C in an inert atmosphere. The structure, morphology, and porosity of the products were studied using powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and the BET surface area method. The obtained MCZ materials exhibit a relatively high specific surface area of ~136 m2 g−1, a large pore size, and pore volumes of ~9.6 nm and ~0.33 cm−3 g−1, respectively. The results also indicate that the MCZ materials have a good capacity to adsorb Congo red from an aqueous solution.