Role of catalyst type in the selective separation of olefinic and paraffinic hydrocarbons using xerogel-based adsorbents

Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (RF)-based activated carbon xerogels are typically synthesized using a homogeneous, sodium-based, catalyst solution. In this work, the synthesis of RF-based carbon xerogels using other, non-typical, homogeneous catalyst solutions is investigated with emphasis on divalent ions such as copper. It was found that the RF-based carbon xerogels synthesized with copper solutions as a catalyst (instead of sodium solutions) have an enhanced selectivity for adsorbing ethylene relative to that of adsorbing ethane. This result becomes valuable for enriching mixtures containing ethylene using adsorption. Such mixtures which are enriched with ethylene are important for improving the conversion of the corresponding petrochemical industries. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.