Designing　efficient　adsorbents　for　the　deep　removal　of　refractory　dibenzothiophene　(DBT)　from　fuel　oil　is　vital　for　addressing　environmental　issues　such　as　acid　rain.　Herein,　zinc　gluconate　and　urea-derived　porous　carbons　SF-ZnNC-T　(T　represents　the　carbonization　temperature)　were　synthesized　without　solvents.　Through　a　temperature-controlled　process　of　＂melting　the　zinc　gluconate　and　urea　mixture,　forming　H-bonded　polymers,　and　carbonizing　the　polymers,＂　the　optimal　carbon,　SF-ZnNC-900,　was　obtained　with　a　large　surface　area　(2280　m2　g-1),　highly　dispersed　Zn　sites,　and　hierarchical　pore　structures.　Consequently,　SF-ZnNC-900　demonstrated　significantly　higher　DBT　adsorption　capacity　of　43.2　mg　S　g1,　compared　to　just　4.3　mg　S　g-1　for　the　precursor.　It　also　demonstrated　good　reusability,　fast　adsorption　rate,　and　the　ability　for　ultra-deep　desulfurization.　The　superior　DBT　adsorption　performance　resulted　from　the　evaporation　of　residual　zinc　species,　which　generated　abundant　mesopores　that　facilitated　DBT　transformation,　as　well　as　the　formation　of　Zn-Nx　sites　that　strengthened　the　host-guest　interaction　(DE--1.466　eV).　The　solvent-free　synthesized　highly　dispersed　Zn-doped　carbon　shows　great　potential　for　producing　sulfur-free　fuel　oil　and　for　designing　metal-loaded　carbon　adsorbents.　(c)　2024　Institute　of　Process　Engineering,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Publishing　services　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　KeAi　Communications　Co.,　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).