Effective adsorption of sulfamethoxazole, bisphenol A and methyl orange on nanoporous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks

Nanoporous carbons (NPCs) derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are attracting increasing attention in many areas by virtue of their high specific surface area, large pore volume and unique porosity. The present work reports the preparation of an NPC with high surface area (1731m2/g) and pore volume (1.68cm3/g) by direct carbonization of MOF-5. We examined the adsorption of three typical contaminants from aqueous solutions, i.e., sulfamethoxazole (SMX), bisphenol A (BPA) and methyl orange (MO), by using the as-prepared NPC. The results demonstrated that NPC could adsorb the contaminants effectively, with adsorption capacity (qm) of 625mg/g (SMX), 757mg/g (BPA) and 872mg/g (MO), respectively. These values were approximately 1.0-3.2 times higher than those obtained for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and commercial powder active carbon (PAC) under the same conditions. With its high surface area and unique meso/macropore structure, the enhanced adsorption of NPC most likely originates from the cooperative interaction of a pore-filling mechanism, electrostatic interaction, and hydrogen bonding. In particular, the pH value has a crucial impact on adsorption, suggesting the significant contribution of electrostatic interaction between NPC and the contaminants. This study provides a proof-of-concept demonstration of MOF-derived nanoporous carbons as effective adsorbents of contaminants for water treatment.