4.8 Article

One-Step Ethylene Purification by an Ethane-Screening Metal- Organic Framework

Journal

ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 14, Issue 13, Pages 15195-15204

Publisher

AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c25005

Keywords

C2H6/C2H4 separation; metal-organic framework; electrostatic-driven linker microrotation; C2H4 purification; modeling simulations

Funding

  1. National key Research and Development Program Nanotechnology Specific Project [2020YFA0210900]
  2. National Natural Science Foundation of China [51972348, 21905313, 21938001, 21961160741]
  3. Guangdong Provincial Key RD Program [2019B110206002]
  4. Local Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program [2017BT01C102]
  5. China Scholarship Council [202106380115]

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Researchers have successfully purified ethylene using a new method, overcoming the challenge of its similar physical properties and molecular dimensions to ethane. They discovered an electrostatic-driven linker microrotation phenomenon and effectively purified ethylene using this process. This study has important implications for the purification of olefin/paraffin mixtures.
Efficient purification of ethylene (C2H4) from ethane (C2H6) is a crucial but daunting task for the chemical industry given their similar physical natures and molecular dimensions. Reversed capture of C2H6 from C2H6/C2H4 dual-mixtures can be expected to directly yield high-purity C2H4 through a one-step separation unit, but it remains a daunting challenge. Here, we skillfully target an unusual electrostatic-driven linker microrotation (EDLM) in a Zr-MOF through coupling dual-ligands having electron-withdrawing/donating groups (e.g., F and CH3 motifs). EDLM triggered microrotation of linker geometry and screening sites not only enhanced structural rigidity and hydrophobic nature, etc., but also effectively purified C2H4 through reversely trapping C2H6. Under ambient conditions, 1 kg of activated 2 adsorbents directly produces 7.2 L of C2H4 with over 99.9%+ purity in a single breakthrough operation starting from the equimolar C2H6/C2H4 cracked mixtures. Geometrical models and simulations have revealed that EDLM-derived H-bonding interaction and microrotation of linker geometry, synergistically customized C2H6 -selective screening sites and pore inert for reversed C2H6 capture and improved surface hydrophobicity. Adsorption isotherms, modeling simulations, and breakthrough tests based on pressure swing adsorption (PSA) conditions have jointly elucidated the underlying separation properties for C2H4 purification. The enhanced hydrophobic nature, cycling durability, and separation property awarded 2 a new benchmark adsorbent to purify the olefin/paraffin mixtures.

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