## 4 Conclusions  
1. Due to the low (2%) divinylbenzene content of the Zr-loaded imniodiacetate functional groups containing styrene-divinylbenzene (L-Zr-X) copolymers samples, a significant loss of the organic volatiles was observed during the carbonization reaction of the L-Zr-X samples, which resulted in high ZrO\({}_{2}\)/C and ZrC/C ratios in the precursor and product samples, respectively. 2. Changing the anion in the zirconium salt used to load the chelate-forming resin resulted in ZrO\({}_{2}\)@C precursors with varying reactivity levels towards carbonization and alterable Zr content. 3. \(\mathrm{ZrC_{0.54}\mathrm{@C}}\) samples can be prepared with or without \(\mathrm{ZrO_{2}}\) in a tubular furnace, with nanosize \(\mathrm{ZrC}\) and \(\mathrm{ZrO_{2}}\) content. 4. The RF plasma treatment of \(\mathrm{ZrO_{2}\mathrm{@C}}\) samples led to \(\mathrm{ZrC_{0.94}\mathrm{@C}}\) samples with high (75-95%) nanosized \(\mathrm{ZrC_{0.94}}\) content and a pore volume of 0.20-0.26 \(\mathrm{cm^{3}/g}\), with or without graphite content. The following supporting information can be downloaded at: [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/inorganics10060077/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/inorganics10060077/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/inorganics10060077/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/inorganics10060077/s1)). ESI Scheme S1. Synthesis of the sodium salt of iminodiacetate functionalized STY-DVB copolymers. ESI Table S1. Elementary analyses result on L-Zr-X Zr-loaded iminodiacetate-functionalized styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers. ESI Table S2. Surface composition of composites prepared by heat treatment of L-Zr-Cl resins at 1000 and 1200 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 h, or at 1400 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 and 4 h. ESI Table S3. Surface composition of composites prepared by heat treatment of L-Zr-N resins at 1000 and 1200 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 h, or at 1400 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 and 4 h. ESI Table S4. Surface composition of composites prepared by heat treatment of L-Zr-S resins at 1000 and 1200 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 h, or at 1400 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 and 4 h. ESI Table S5. Surface composition of composites prepared by RF plasma treatment of L-Zr-X-1000-2 resins in \(\mathrm{H_{2}}\) and He atmosphere. ESI Table S6. Raman band positions (\(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) ) and band intensities (arbitrary units) in the Raman spectra of L-Zr-X-\(T\)-\(t\) composites. ESI Figure S1. IR spectrum of the iminodiacetate functionalized STY-DVB copolymer. ESI Figure S2. IR patterns for L-Zr-X samples for X= S, Cl and N between the intervals 4000-3000 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) and 2000-400 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). ESI Figure S3. IR spectra of iminodiacetic acid (IDA) salts with \(\mathrm{H_{2}SO_{4}(IDA)\mathrm{-S}}\), \(\mathrm{HNO_{3}}\) (IDA-N), and HCl (IDA-Cl) between the intervals 4000-3000 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) and 2000-400 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). ESI Figure S4. IR spectra of L-S and L-Zr-S compounds between 2000 and 400 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). ESI Figure S6. IR spectra of L-N and L-Zr-N compounds between 2000 and 400 \(\mathrm{cm^{-1}}\). ESI Figure S7. \({}^{13}\)C CP MAS solid state NMR spectra of L-X and L--Zr-X samples (X=Cl (Top), N(Middle) and S(Botton)). ESI Figure S8. TG-MS curves of iminodiacetate groups (a) and STY-DVB skeleton fragments (b,c) in the decomposition of L-Zr-N sample. ESI Figure S9. TG-MS curves of iminodiacetate groups (a) and STY-DVB skeleton fragments (b,c) in the decomposition of L-Zr-S sample. ESI Figure S10. TG-DSC curves of the decomposition of L-Zr-X sample (X=Cl (green), N (Blue), S (Red)). ESI Figure S11. Complete XRD pattern of L-Zr-X-1400-8 and L-Zr-X-1000-2-P-He (X=Cl, N and S) samples. ESI Figure S12. X-ray photoelectron spectra of the \(\mathrm{O_{18}}\) lines of the nano-ZrO\({}_{2}\)@C and nano-(Zr\({}_{0.58}\),\(\mathrm{C}\),\(\mathrm{ZrO_{2}}\))@C containing composites. ESI Figure S13. X-ray photoelectron spectra of the \(\mathrm{O_{18}}\) lines of the RF-plasma treated nano \(\mathrm{Zr_{0.94}\mathrm{@C}\mathrm{@C}}\) containing composites. ESI Figure S14.