Synthesis of metal–organic framework MIL-101 in TMAOH-Cr(NO3)3-H2BDC-H2O and its hydrogen-storage behavior

High pure metal–organic framework chromium terephthalate (MIL-101) was synthesized from TMAOH-Cr(NO3)3-H2BDC-H2O for the first time. Typical synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and volumetric nitrogen adsorption. Hydrogen adsorption isotherms of the material were studied at 77 K. The results showed that H2 adsorption was up to 4.01 wt% at 1 MPa which approached the documented value (4.1 wt% at 1 MPa and 77 K). It was confirmed that alkaline medium played an important role in this study, on the one hand, it promoted dissolution of the raw material H2BDC in water in the system and the pure sample was obtained easily, on the other hand, the pure sample which was more beneficial was used as the hydrogen storage material.