Synthesis of MIL-101@g-C3N4 nanocomposite for enhanced adsorption capacity towards CO2

MIL-101@g-C3N4 nanocomposite was prepared by solvothermal synthesis and used for CO2 adsorption. The parent materials (MIL-101 and g-C3N4) and the MIL-101@g-C3N4 were characterized by X-ray diffraction, argon adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TG/DTA), transmission electronic microscopy, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results confirmed the formation of well-defined MIL-101@g-C3N4 with interesting surface area and pore volume. Furthermore, both MIL-101 and MIL-101@g-C3N4 were accomplished in carbon dioxide capture at different temperatures (280, 288, 273 and 298 K) at lower pressure. The adsorption isotherms show that the nanocomposite has a good CO2 adsorption affinity compared to MIL-101. The best adsorption capacity is about 1.6 mmol g−1 obtained for the nanocomposite material which is two times higher than that of MIL-101, indicating strong interactions between CO2 and MIL-101@g-C3N4. This difference in efficacy is mainly due to the presence of the amine groups dispersed in the nanocomposite. Finally, we have developed a simple route for the preparation of an effective and new adsorbent for the removal of CO2, which can be used as an excellent candidate for gas storage, catalysis, and adsorption.