A Fine-Tuned MOF for Gas and Vapor Separation: A Multipurpose Adsorbent for Acid Gas Removal, Dehydration, and BTX Sieving

The development of highly stable separation agents is recognized as a decisive step toward the successful deployment of energy-efficient and cost-effective separation processes. Here, we report the synthesis and construction of a metal-organic framework (MOF), kag-MOF-1, that has adequate structural and chemical features and affords a stable adsorbent with unique and appropriate adsorption properties for gas processing akin to acid gas removal, dehydration, and benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX) sieving. A combination of X-ray diffraction experiments, adsorption studies, mixed-gas breakthrough adsorption column testing, calorimetric measurements, and molecular simulations corroborated the exceptional separation performance of kag-MOF-1 and its prospective use as a multifunctional adsorbent. The unique adsorption properties of kag-MOF-1, resulting from the contracted pore system with aligned periodic array of exposed functionalities, attest to the prominence of this new generation of ultra-microporous material as a prospective practical adsorbent toward cost-effective and more simplified gas and vapor processing flowcharts for natural gas upgrading and flue gas scrubbing.