Micro-mesoporous carbons form non-porous zinc-organic coordination compounds: Synthesis, structure and gas adsorption properties

A series of non-porous zinc-containing coordination compounds with mono- and polydentate ligands has been used to produce carbon materials with a hierarchical porous structure. Adjustment of the carbonization mode enables to increase the target product yield by an average of three times. The obtained carbons have a combination of micro- and mesopores with a pronounced maximum at 3.5 nm. The gas-sorption behavior of the obtained carbons has been studied over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. It has been established that the amount of excess adsorption for hydrogen and methane reaches 2.7 and 15 wt%, respectively. The extension of the proposed approach to the use of simple bimetallic complexes as precursors may be promising for obtaining effective catalysts based on a carbon matrix with controlled porosity and encapsulated nanoscale particles of a catalytically active metal. [Display omitted] •Carbonization of a series of Zn complexes with different ligands was studied.•Adjustment of heat treatment mode enabled a multiple increase in carbon yield.•Carbons with specific hierarchical micro-mesoporous structure were produced.•Adsorption of hydrogen and methane has been studied in a wide p-T range.