Microporous Metal-Organic Framework with a Completely Reversed Adsorption Relationship for C2 Hydrocarbons at Room Temperature

Design of Pore Properties of an Al-Based Metal-Organic Framework for the Separation of an Ethane/Ethylene Gas Mixture via Ethane-Selective Adsorption

A series of Al-based isomorphs (CAU-10H, MIL-160, KMF-1, and CAU-10pydc) were synthesized using isophthalic acid (ipa), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (fdc), 2,5-pyrrole dicarboxylic acid (pyrdc), and 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (pydc), respectively. These isomorphs were systematically investigated to identify the best adsorbent for effectively separating C₂H₆/C₂H₄. All CAU-10 isomorphs exhibited preferential adsorption of C₂H₆ over that of C₂H₄ in mixture. CAU-10pydc exhibited the best C₂H₆/C₂H₄ selectivity (1.68) and the highest C₂H₆ uptake (3.97 mmol g^-1) at 298 K and 1 bar. In the breakthrough experiment using CAU-10pydc, 1/1 (v/v) and 1/15 (v/v) C₂H₆/C₂H₄ gas mixtures were successfully separated into high-purity C₂H₄ (>99.95%), with remarkable productivities of 14.0 L_STP kg^-1 and 32.0 L_STP kg^-1, respectively, at 298 K. Molecular simulations revealed that the exceptional separation performance of CAU-10pydc originated from the increased porosity and reduced electron density of the pyridine ring of pydc, leading to a relatively larger decrease in π-π interactions with C₂H₄ than in the C-H···π interactions with C₂H₆. This study demonstrates that the pore size and geometry of the CAU-10 platform are modulated by the inclusion of heteroatom-containing benzene dicarboxylate or heterocyclic rings of dicarboxylate-based organic linkers, thereby fine-tuning the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation ability. CAU-10pydc was determined to be an optimum adsorbent for this challenging separation.

Tuning the Trade-Off between Ethane/Ethylene Selectivity and Adsorption Capacity within Isoreticular Microporous Metal-Organic Frameworks by Linker Fine-Fluorination

The pore dimension and surface property directly dictate the transport of guests, endowing diverse gas selective adsorptions to porous materials. It is highly relevant to construct metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with designable functional groups that can achieve feasible pore regulation to improve their separation performances. However, the role of functionalization in different positions or degrees within framework on the separation of light hydrocarbon has rarely been emphasized. In this context, four isoreticular MOFs (TKL-104-107) bearing dissimilar fluorination are rationally screened out and afforded intriguing differences in the adsorption behavior of C₂ H₆ and C₂ H₄ . Ortho-fluoridation of carboxyl allows TKL-105-107 to exhibit enhanced structural stabilities, impressive C₂ H₆ adsorption capacities (>125 cm³ g^-1 ) and desirable inverse selectivities (C₂ H₆ over C₂ H₄ ). The more modified ortho-fluorine group and meta-fluorine group of carboxyl have improved the C₂ H₆ /C₂ H₄ selectivity and adsorption capacity, respectively, and the C₂ H₆ /C₂ H₄ separation potential can be well optimized via linker fine-fluorination. Meanwhile, dynamic breakthrough experiments proved that TKL-105-107 can be used as highly efficient C₂ H₆ -selective adsorbents for C₂ H₄ purification. This work highlights that the purposeful functionalization of pore surfaces facilitates the assembly of highly efficient MOF adsorbents for specific gas separation.

Theoretical investigation of C1-C4 hydrocarbons adsorption and separation in a porous metallocavitand

The purification of light hydrocarbons is one of the most important chemical processes globally which consumes substantial energy. Porous materials are likely to improve the efficiency of the separation process by acting as regenerable solid adsorbents. To investigate such translational systems, the underlying mechanism of adsorption in the porous materials must be taken into account. Herein we report the adsorption and selective separation of C1-C4 hydrocarbons in the coinage metal-based macrocyclic metallocavitand Pillarplex, which exhibits excellent performance in the adsorption of CH₄ at the ambient conditions with a binding energy of -17.9 kcal mol^-1. In addition, the endohedral adsorption of C2-C4 hydrocarbon is impressive. The CH₄, C₂H₄, C₃H₄, and 1,3-butadiene have potential uptake of 2.57, 4.26, 3.60, and 2.95 mmol g^-1, respectively at ambient conditions are highest from their respective isomers. Selective separation of C1-C4 hydrocarbons is studied using ideal adsorption solution theory demonstrating its potential for one-step purification of C1-C3 hydrocarbons.

High-Performance Adsorbent for Ethane/Ethylene Separation Selected through the Computational Screening of Aluminum-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks

The development of a high-performance ethane (C₂H₆)-selective adsorbent for the separation of ethane/ethylene (C₂H₆/C₂H₄) gas mixtures has been investigated for high-efficiency adsorption-based gas separation. Herein, we investigated Al-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to identify an efficient C₂H₆-selective adsorbent (CAU-11), supported by a computational simulation study. CAU-11 exhibited numerous advantageous properties (such as low material cost, structural robustness, high reaction yield, and high C₂H₆/C₂H₄ selectivity) compared to other Al-based MOFs, indicating immense potential as a C₂H₆-selective adsorbent. CAU-11 exhibited preferential C₂H₆ adsorption in single-component gas adsorption experiments, and its predicted ideal adsorption solution theory selectivity of C₂H₆/C₂H₄ was over 2.1, consistent with the simulation analysis. Dynamic breakthrough experiments using representative compositions of the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ gas mixture confirmed the excellent separation ability of CAU-11; it produced high-purity C₂H₄ (>99.95%) with productivity values of 0.79 and 2.02 mol L^-1 while repeating the cyclic experiment with 1:1 and 1:15 v/v C₂H₆/C₂H₄ gas mixtures, respectively, at 298 K and 1 bar. The high C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation ability of CAU-11 could be attributed to its non-polar pore environment and optimum pore dimensions which strengthen the interaction of its pores (via C-H···π interactions) with C₂H₆ to a greater extent than with C₂H₄.

Customizing Pore System in a Microporous Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient C2H2 Separation from CO2 and C2H4

Selective-adsorption separation is an energy-efficient technology for the capture of acetylene (C2H2) from carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethylene (C2H4). However, it remains a critical challenge to effectively recognize C2H2 among CO2 and C2H4, owing to their analogous molecule sizes and physical properties. Herein, we report a new microporous metal–organic framework (NUM-14) possessing a carefully tailored pore system containing moderate pore size and nitro-functionalized channel surface for efficient separation of C2H2 from CO2 and C2H4. The activated NUM-14 (namely NUM-14a) exhibits sufficient pore space to acquire excellent C2H2 loading capacity (4.44 mmol g−1) under ambient conditions. In addition, it possesses dense nitro groups, acting as hydrogen bond acceptors, to selectively identify C2H2 molecules rather than CO2 and C2H4. The breakthrough experiments demonstrate the good actual separation ability of NUM-14a for C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/C2H4 mixtures. Furthermore, Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the pore surface of the NUM-14a has a stronger affinity to preferentially bind C2H2 over CO2 and C2H4 via stronger C-H···O hydrogen bond interactions. This article provides some insights into customizing pore systems with desirable pore sizes and modifying groups in terms of MOF materials toward the capture of C2H2 from CO2 and C2H4 to promote the development of more MOF materials with excellent properties for gas adsorption and separation.

Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework with Ultrahigh Water Stability for Separation of Acetylene from Carbon Dioxide and Ethylene

Highly selective separation and purification of acetylene (C2H2) from ethylene (C2H4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are daunting challenges in light of their similar molecule sizes and physical properties. Herein, we report a two-dimensional (2D) stable metal-organic framework (MOF), NUM-11 ([Cu(Hmpba)2]·1.5DMF) (H2mpba = 4-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzoic acid), with sql topology, stacked together through π-π interactions for efficient separation of C2H2 from C2H4 and CO2. The 2D-MOF material offers high hydrolytic stability and good purification capacity; especially, it could survive in water for 7 months, even longer. This stable MOF selectively captures C2H2 from mixtures containing C2H4 and CO2, as determined by adsorption isotherms. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity calculations and transient breakthrough experiments were performed to verify the separation capacity. The low isosteric heat of NUM-11a (desolvated NUM-11) (18.24 kJ mol-1 for C2H2) validates the feasibility of adsorbent regeneration with low energy footprint consumption. Furthermore, Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations confirmed that the pore surface of the NUM-11 framework enabled preferential binding of C2H2 over C2H4 and CO2 via multiple C-H···O, C-H···π, and C-H···C interactions. This work provides some insights to prepare stable MOF materials toward the purification of C2H2, and the water-stable structure, low isosteric heat, and good cycling stability of NUM-11 make it very promising for practical industrial application.

Adsorption in Reversed Order of C2 Hydrocarbons on an Ultramicroporous Fluorinated Metal-Organic Framework

Metal-organic frameworks have been widely studied in the separation of C₂ hydrocarbons, which usually preferentially bind unsaturated hydrocarbons with the order of acetylene (C₂ H₂ )>ethylene (C₂ H₄ )>ethane (C₂ H₆ ). Herein, we report an ultramicroporous fluorinated metal-organic framework Zn-FBA (H₂ FBA=4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis(benzoic acid)), shows a reversed adsorption order characteristic for C₂ hydrocarbons, that the uptake for C₂ hydrocarbons of the framework and the binding affinity between the guest molecule and the framework follows the order C₂ H₆ >C₂ H₄ >C₂ H₂ . Density-functional theory calculations confirm that the completely reversed adsorption order behavior is attributed to the close van der Waals interactions and multiple cooperative C-H⋅⋅⋅F hydrogen bonds between the framework and C₂ H₆ . Moreover, Zn-FBA exhibits a high selectivity of about 2.9 for C₂ H₆ over C₂ H₄ at 298 K and 1 bar. The experimental breakthrough studies show that the high-purity C₂ H₄ can be obtained from C₂ H₆ and C₂ H₄ mixtures in one step.

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

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.

Tuning the Pore Environment of MOFs toward Efficient CH4/N2 Separation under Humid Conditions

Adsorption separation technology using adsorbents is promising as an alternative to the energy-demanding cryogenic distillation of natural gas (CH₄/N₂) separation. Although a few adsorbents, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with high performance for CH₄/N₂ separation, have been reported, it is still challenging to target the desired adsorbents for the actual CH₄/N₂ separation under humid conditions because the adsorption capacity and selectivity of the adsorbents might be mainly dampened by water vapor. Except for the high CH₄ uptake and CH₄/N₂ selectivity, the adsorption material should simultaneously have excellent stability against moisture and relatively low-water absorption affinity. Here, we tuned the ligands and metal sites of reticular MOFs, Zn-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (Zn-BDC-DABCO) (DMOF), affording a series of isostructural MOFs (DMOF-N, DMOF-A₁, DMOF-A₂, and DMOF-A₃). Because of the finely engineered pore size and introduced aromatic rings in the functional DMOF, gas sorption results reveal that the materials show improved performance with a benchmark CH₄ uptake of 37 cm³/g and a high CH₄/N₂ adsorption selectivity of 7.2 for DMOF-A₂ at 298 K and 1.0 bar. Moisture stability experiments show that DMOF-A₂ is a robust MOF with low water vapor capacity even at ∼40% relative humidity (RH) because of the presence of more hydrophobic aromatic rings. Breakthrough experiments verify the excellent CH₄/N₂ separation performances of DMOF-A₂ under high humidity.

A Microporous Metal-Organic Framework with Channels Constructed from Nonpolar Aromatic Rings for the Selective Separation of Ethane/Ethylene Mixtures

The separation of ethane and ethylene is an important segment in the purification of chemical raw materials in industrial production. However, due to their similar physical and chemical properties, the separation of C2 H6 /C2 H4 is challenging. Herein, we report the selective adsorption of ethane over ethylene by a microporous metal-organic framework with nonpolar aromatic rings constructed channels, [Co1.5 (TATB)(H2 O)0.5 ] ⋅ 5DMA ⋅ 3H2 O (Co-TATB, H3 TATB=4,4',4''-(s-triazine-2,4,6-triyl) tribenzoic acid). This compound showed a higher ethane capacity than that of ethylene, and a low adsorption enthalpy of ethane only of 19.4 kJ mol-1 . Further, the dynamic breakthrough experimental confirmed that Co-TATB can selectively adsorb ethane from ethane/ethylene separation.

Pore-Space Partition through an Embedding Metal-Carboxylate Chain-Induced Topology Upgrade Strategy for the Separation of Acetylene/Ethylene

Ethylene (C₂H₄) is one of the most significant substances in the petrochemical industry; however, the capture of acetylene (C₂H₂) in about 1% from C₂H₂/C₂H₄ mixtures is a difficult task because of the similarity of their physical properties. With the aggravation of the energy crisis, using metal-organic framework (MOF) materials to purify C₂H₄ through adsorptive separation is a promising way to save energy and reduce emission. Pore-space partition (PSP) with the aim of enhancing the density of the binding sites and the strength of the host-guest interactions is an effective means to promote a solution for the challenging gas separation problems. Herein, we report a new embedding metal-carboxylate chain-induced topology upgrade strategy within a MOF to realize PSP and separation of C₂H₂/C₂H₄ mixtures. As a proof of concept, we construct a microporous MOF (NUM-12) utilizing the in situ insertion of cobalt terephthalic chains into a pretargeted ant-type framework during synthesis. Because of the attainment of an elaborately tuned aperture size and a specific pore environment through this strategy, NUM-12a (activated NUM-12) not only has a remarkable gas sorption capacity and strong interactions for C₂H₂ but also possesses an excellent purification performance for C₂H₂/C₂H₄ mixtures. Both experiments and simulation calculations clearly reveal that NUM-12 is a promising candidate for the separation of C₂H₂/C₂H₄, proving the feasibility of this new strategy for developing newly fashioned MOFs with adjustable structure and performance.

Improving Ethane/Ethylene Separation Performance of Isoreticular Metal-Organic Frameworks via Substituent Engineering

The preferential capture of ethane (C₂H₆) over ethylene (C₂H₄) presents a very cost-effective and energy-saving means applied to adsorptive separation and purification of C₂H₄ with a high product purity, which is however challenged by low selectivity originating from their similar molecular sizes and physical properties. Substituent engineering has been widely employed for selectivity regulation and improvement, but its effect on C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation has been rarely explored to date. In this work, four isoreticular coordination framework compounds based on 5-(pyridin-3-yl)isophthalate ligands bearing different substituents were rationally constructed. As revealed by isotherm measurements, thermodynamic studies, and IAST computations, they exhibited promising utility for C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation with moderate adsorption heat and a high uptake amount at a relatively low-pressure domain. Furthermore, the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation potential can be finely tuned and optimized via purposeful substituent alteration. Most remarkably, functionalization with a nonpolar methyl group yielded an improved separation efficiency compared to its parent compound. This work offers a good reference value for enhancing the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation efficiency of MOFs by engineering the pore microenvironment and dimensions via substituent manipulation.

One-step ethylene production from a four-component gas mixture by a single physisorbent

One-step adsorptive purification of ethylene (C₂H₄) from four-component gas mixtures comprising acetylene (C₂H₂), ethylene (C₂H₄), ethane (C₂H₆) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an unmet challenge in the area of commodity purification. Herein, we report that the ultramicroporous sorbent Zn-atz-oba (H₂oba = 4,4-dicarboxyl diphenyl ether; Hatz = 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) enables selective adsorption of C₂H₂, C₂H₆ and CO₂ over C₂H₄ thanks to the binding sites that lie in its undulating pores. Molecular simulations provide insight into the binding sites in Zn-atz-oba that are responsible for coadsorption of C₂H₂, C₂H₆ and CO₂ over C₂H₄. Dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate that the selective binding exhibited by Zn-atz-oba can produce polymer-grade purity (>99.95%) C₂H₄ from binary (1:1 for C₂H₄/C₂H₆), ternary (1:1:1 for C₂H₂/C₂H₄/C₂H₆) and quaternary (1:1:1:1 for C₂H₂/C₂H₄/C₂H₆/CO₂) gas mixtures in a single step.

Propane-Trapping Ultramicroporous Metal-Organic Framework in the Low-Pressure Area toward the Purification of Propylene

The propane (C₃H₈)-trapping adsorption behavior is considered as a potential performance to directly produce high-purity propylene (C₃H₆). Herein, we report an ultramicroporous Mn-based metal-organic framework (NUM-7) with a reverse C₃H₈-selective behavior in the low-pressure area. The pore structure of this material possesses more electronegative aromatic benzene rings for the stronger binding affinity to C₃H₈, and the material shows outstanding reverse ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) selectivity values. Single-component sorption isotherms preliminarily show the reverse adsorption behavior in the low-pressure part, and the moderate heat of adsorption further confirms this performance and exhibits less energy consumption for regeneration. In addition, the purification effect for the C₃H₈/C₃H₆ mixture is evaluated by the IAST selectivity and transient breakthrough curves, and the GCMC calculation results reveal that the fascinating C₃H₈-trapping behavior mainly depends on the multiple C-H···π interactions. Moreover, because C₃H₆ is the desired target product, the interesting C₃H₈-selective adsorption behavior of NUM-7 may provide its potential for one-step purification of C₃H₆, and this work can provide the method of developing C₃H₈-selective materials for the purification of C₃H₆.

Low-Concentration C2 H6 Capture Enabled by Size Matching in the Ultramicropore

Low-concentration ethane capture is crucial for environmental protection and natural gas purification. The ideal physisorbent with strong C₂ H₆ interaction and large C₂ H₆ uptake at low-concentration level has rarely been reported, due to the large pK_a value and small quadrupole moment of C₂ H₆ . Herein, we demonstrate the perfectly size matching between the ultramicropore (pore size of 4.6 Å) and ethane (kinetic diameter of 4.4 Å) in a nickel pyridine-4-carboxylate metal-organic framework (IISERP-MOF2), which enables the record-breaking performance for low concentration C₂ H₆ capture. IISERP-MOF2 exhibits the large C₂ H₆ adsorption enthalpy of 56.7 kJ/mol, and record-high C₂ H₆ uptake at low pressure of 0.01-0.1 bar and 298 K (1.8 mmol/g at 0.01 bar). Molecule simulations and C₂ H₆ -loading crystal structure analysis revealed that the maximized interaction sites in IISERP-MOF2 with ethane molecule originates the strong C₂ H₆ adsorption. The dynamic breakthrough experiments for gas mixtures of C₂ H₆ /N₂ (1/999, v/v) and C₂ H₆ /CH₄ (5/95, v/v) proved the excellent low-concentration C₂ H₆ capture performance.

A Thermally and Chemically Stable Copper(II) Metal-Organic Framework with High Performance for Gas Adsorption and Separation

A versatile microporous metal-organic framework (MOF), {[Cu(TIA)]·1.5CH₃OH}_n (Cu-1), was successfully obtained via the solvothermal reaction of cuprous(II) salt with the bifunctional ligand 3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)isophthalic acid. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicate that Cu-1 contains an apo three-dimensional skeleton and two types of one-dimensional channels. The framework of Cu-1 has excellent acid-alkali resistance and thermal stability, which is stable in a pH = 2-13 aqueous solution and an 260 °C air environment. In addition, the microporous copper MOF shows very high uptakes of CO₂ (180 cm³·g^-1) and C₂H₂ (113 cm³·g^-1) at 273 K and displays excellent adsorption selectivity for small molecular gases. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity values for C₂H₂/C₂H₄, CO₂/CH₄, and CO₂/N₂ are 2, 9, and 22 at 298 K, respectively. At the same time, breakthrough experiments for CO₂/CH₄, CO₂/N₂, and C₂H₂/C₂H₄ were further conducted to verify the efficient separation performances.

Cobalt-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for Adsorption of CO2 and C2 Hydrocarbons: Effect of Auxiliary Ligands with Different Functional Groups

Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been investigated as potential materials for CO₂ capture and light hydrocarbon storage/separation due to their high porosity, large surface area, and tunable skeleton structures. In this work, the six cobalt-based MOFs 1-6 were successfully synthesized under solvothermal conditions by a mixed-ligand strategy. 1 and 2 have the same framework structure with a topology of {4²·5}₂{4⁴·5¹⁰·6⁷·7⁶·8}, while the structures of the 3-6 frameworks are the same with a topology of {4²·5}₂{4⁴·5¹⁰·6⁹·7⁴·8}. The adsorption properties of these MOFs for CO₂ and C₂ hydrocarbons were then investigated, and the effect of the functional groups was discussed. The results revealed that the introduction of amino and bromo groups could effectively strengthen the adsorption performance.

Multiple Functions of Gas Separation and Vapor Adsorption in a New MOF with Open Tubular Channels

Separation or purification is one of the difficult problems in the petrochemical industry. To help solve the difficulty of separation or purification for C₂H₂/CO₂ and C₂H_n/CH₄ in the chemical industry, we synthesized a new metal-organic framework (MOF), [Ni(dpip)]·2.5DMF·H₂O (1), by a bipyridyl-substituted isophthalic acid ligand. The MOF includes two types of one-dimensional (1D) tubular channels with different sizes and porous environments. The unique tubular channels lead to not only remarkable gas sorption capacity of C₂H₄, C₂H₂, and CO₂, but also good selectivity for C₂H₂/CH₄, C₂H₂/CH₄, CO₂/CH₄, and C₂H₂/CO₂, as demonstrated by single-component sorption isotherm results, ideal adsorbed solution theory calculations, and dynamic breakthrough curves. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation reveals preferential adsorption sites in the MOF for CO₂, C₂H₂, and C₂H₄. The MOF also exhibits an obvious size-selective absorption effect on vapor molecules.

Pore Engineering for One-Step Ethylene Purification from a Three-Component Hydrocarbon Mixture

Ethylene production from C2 hydrocarbon mixtures through one separation step is desirable but challenging because of the similar size and physical properties of acetylene, ethylene, and ethane. Herein, we report three new isostructural porous coordination networks (NPU-1, NPU-2, NPU-3; NPU represents Northwestern Polytechnical University) that are sustained by 9-connected nodes based upon a hexanuclear metal cluster of composition [Mn₆(μ₃-O)₂(CH₃COO)₃]⁶⁺. NPU-1/2/3 exhibit a dual cage structure that was systematically fine-tuned in terms of cage size to realize selective adsorption of C₂H₂ and C₂H₆ over C₂H₄. Dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrated that NPU-1 produces ethylene in >99.9% purity from a three-component gas mixture (1:1:1 C₂H₂/C₂H₄/C₂H₆). Molecular modeling studies revealed that the dual adsorption preference for C₂H₂ and C₂H₆ over C₂H₄ originates from (a) strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between electronegative carboxylate O atoms and C₂H₂ molecules in one cage and (b) multiple non-covalent interactions between the organic linkers of the host network and C₂H₆ molecules in the second cage.

Efficient Purification of Ethylene from C2 Hydrocarbons with an C2H6/C2H2-Selective Metal-Organic Framework

The separation of ethylene (C₂H₄) from C₂ hydrocarbons is considered as one of the most difficult and important processes in the petrochemical industry. Heat-driven cryogenic distillation is still widely used in the C₂ hydrocarbons separation realms, which is an energy intensive process and takes up immense space. In response to a greener, more energy-efficient sustainable development, we successfully synthesized a multifunction microporous Mg-based MOF [Mg₂(TCPE)(μ₂-OH₂)(DMA)₂]·solvents (NUM-9) with C₂H₆/C₂H₂ selectivity based on a physical adsorption mechanism, and with outstanding stability; especially, it is stable up to 500 °C under an air atmosphere. NUM-9a (activated NUM-9) shows good performances in the separation of C₂H₆/C₂H₂ from raw ethylene gases. In addition, its actual separation potential is also examined by IAST and dynamic column breakthrough experiments. GCMC calculation results indicate that the unique structure of NUM-9a is primarily conducive to the selective adsorption of C₂H₆ and C₂H₂. More importantly, compared with C₂H₄, NUM-9a prefers to selectively adsorb C₂H₆ and C₂H₂ simultaneously, which makes NUM-9a as a sorbent have the capacity to separate C₂H₄ from C₂ hydrocarbon mixtures under mild conditions through a greener and energy-efficient separation strategy.

An aromatic-rich cage-based MOF with inorganic chloride ions decorating the pore surface displaying the preferential adsorption of C2H2 and C2H6 over C2H4

An aromatic-rich chloride-embedded nanocage-based MOF displayed an unusual adsorption relationship towards C₂ hydrocarbons, with the potential for C₂H₄ separation and purification application.

In-silico identification of adsorbent for separation of ethane/ethylene mixture

We present here a high-throughput computational screening of 4,821 real metal-organic framework (MOF) structures that do not contain any open metal sites to isolate the best performing candidate for separation of ethane/ethylene mixture at ambient conditions. The MOF structures were assessed on the basis of several adsorption-based separation performance metrics. Some of these metrics were found to correlate strongly among themselves. We have presented various structures-property correlations which unfold useful insights. MOF ATAGEJ is found to be the top performing MOF with highest adsorbent performance score 12.38 mol/kg and regenerability 93.88%. Several other MOFs OTOLIU (MIL-167), UMUMOG (UBMOF-8), and TOVGES (PCN-230) containing tetravalent metal cations such as Zr⁴⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ are found to be potential structures that are thermally, mechanically, and chemically stable and performs better than zeolites. Adsorption selectivity shows exponential correlation with difference of heat of adsorption of ethane and ethene at 0.1 bar and 298 K. We have also presented how various performance metrics correlate among themselves. These correlations unfold useful insights. Graphical abstract.

Microregulation of Pore Channels in Covalent-Organic Frameworks Used for the Selective and Efficient Separation of Ethane

The removal of low content of ethane (C₂H₆) from ethylene (C₂H₄) using C₂H₆-selective adsorbents to reduce the energy consumption in the petrochemical industry is one of the meaningful and challenging tasks in separation research. Herein, we report for the first time the systematic research of covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) as a platform used for the separation of light hydrocarbons based on their specific topology. Benefiting from its richly distributed weakly polar surface and suitable pore cavities, COF-1 exhibits the highest adsorption selectivity (1.92 at 298 K and 1 bar) for the C₂H₆/C₂H₄ mixture among the COFs studied. Density functional theory calculations clearly revealed that COF-1 can exhibit multiple C-H···π interactions with ethane in its suitable pore environment and thus preferentially binds to ethane over ethylene. Finally, breakthrough experiments proved that COF-1 may be regarded as an effective porous adsorbent with polymer-grade C₂H₄ obtained directly from C₂H₆/C₂H₄ mixtures at 298 K and 1 bar.

Designer Metal-Organic Frameworks for Size-Exclusion-Based Hydrocarbon Separations: Progress and Challenges

The separation of hydrocarbons is of primary importance in the petrochemical industry but remains a challenging process. Hydrocarbon separations have traditionally relied predominantly on costly and energy-intensive heat-driven procedures such as low-temperature distillations. Adsorptive separation based on porous solids represents an alternative technology that is potentially more energy efficient for the separation of some hydrocarbons. Great efforts have been made recently not only in the development of adsorbents with optimal separation performance but also toward the subsequent implementation of adsorption-based separation technology. Emerging as a relatively new class of multifunctional porous materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) hold substantial promise as adsorbents for highly efficient separation of hydrocarbons. This is because of their exceptional and intrinsic porosity tunability, which enables size-exclusion-based separations that render the highest possible separation selectivity. In this review, recent advances in the development of MOFs for separation of selected groups of hydrocarbons are reviewed, including methane/C₂ hydrocarbons, normal alkanes, alkane isomers, and alkane/alkene/alkyne and C₈ alkylaromatics, with a particular focus on separations based on the size-exclusion mechanism. Insights into tailor-made structures, material design strategies, and structure-property relationships will be elucidated. In addition, the existing challenges and possible future directions of this important research field will be discussed.

Efficient C2Hn Hydrocarbons and VOC Adsorption and Separation in an MOF with Lewis Basic and Acidic Decorated Active Sites

To help address efficient separation of C₂H_n light hydrocarbons and C₂H₂/CO₂ in the chemical industry, the self-assembly via an azolate-carboxylate ligand and Co(II) ion gave rise to a new porous MOF material, [Co(btzip)(H₂btzip)]·2DMF·2H₂O (1) (H₂btzip = 4,6-bis(triazol-1-yl)isophthalic acid). In the MOF, the pores are modified by rich uncoordinated triazolyl Lewis basic N atoms and acidic -COOH groups, which strengthen interactions with C₂H_n hydrocarbons and CO₂ molecules, leading to high adsorption amounts for C₂H_2, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, and CO₂ and remarkable separation efficiency for C₂H_n-CH₄, CO₂-CH₄, and C₂H₂-CO₂ mixtures, as confirmed by breakthrough experiments on the realistic gas mixtures. The MOF also reveals outstanding selective adsorption ability for benzene/toluene, methanol/1-propanol, methanol/2-propanol, and 2-propanol/1-propanol isomers. Molecular simulations disclose the different adsorption sites in the MOF for various adsorbates.

A Series of Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks with Tunable Windows Sizes and Exceptionally High Ethane over Ethylene Adsorption Selectivity

The NIIC-20 (NIIC stands for Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry) is a family of five isostructural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on dodecanuclear wheel-shaped carboxylate building blocks {Zn₁₂ (RCOO)₁₂ (glycol)₆ } (glycol is deprotonated diatomic alcohol: ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,2-pentanediol or glycerol), quantitatively crystallized from readily available starting chemicals. The crystal structures contain large mesoporous cages of 25 Å connected through {Zn₁₂ } rings, of which inner diameter and chemical nature depend solely on the chosen glycol. The NIIC-20 compounds feature high surface area and rarely observed inversed adsorption affinity for saturated hydrocarbon (ethane) over the unsaturated ones (ethylene, acetylene). The corresponding IAST (Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory) adsorption selectivity factors reach as much as 15.4 for C₂ H₆ /C₂ H₄ and 10.9 for C₂ H₆ /C₂ H₂ gas mixtures at ambient conditions, exceeding those for any other porous MOF reported so far. The remarkable combination of high adsorption uptakes and high adsorption selectivities makes the NIIC-20 series a new benchmark of porous materials designed for ethylene separation applications.

Crystal engineering of porous coordination networks to enable separation of C2 hydrocarbons

Crystal engineering, the field of chemistry that studies the design, properties, and applications of crystals, is exemplified by the emergence over the past thirty years of porous coordination networks (PCNs), including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and hybrid coordination networks (HCNs). PCNs have now come of age thanks to their amenability to design from first principles and how this in turn can result in new materials with task-specific features. Herein, we focus upon how control over the pore chemistry and pore size of PCNs has been leveraged to create a new generation of physisorbents for efficient purification of light hydrocarbons (LHs). The impetus for this research comes from the need to address LH purification processes based upon cryogenic separation, distillation, chemisorption or solvent extraction, each of which is energy intensive. Adsorptive separation by physisorbents (in general) and PCNs (in particular) can offer two advantages over these existing approaches: improved energy efficiency; lower plant size/cost. Unfortunately, most existing physisorbents suffer from low uptake and/or poor sorbate selectivity and are therefore unsuitable for trace separations of LHs including the high volume C2 LHs (C₂H_x, x = 2, 4, 6). This situation is rapidly changing thanks to PCN sorbents that have set new performance benchmarks for several C2 separations. Herein, we review and analyse PCN sorbents with respect to the supramolecular chemistry of sorbent-sorbate binding and detail the crystal engineering approaches that have enabled the exquisite control over pore size and pore chemistry that affords highly selective binding sites. Whereas the structure-function relationships that have emerged offer important design principles, several development roadblocks remain to be overcome.

Self-assembly of a cobalt(II)-based metal-organic framework as an effective water-splitting heterogeneous catalyst for light-driven hydrogen production

The solar photocatalysis of water splitting represents a significant branch of enzymatic simulation by efficient chemical conversion and the generation of hydrogen as green energy provides a feasible way for the replacement of fossil fuels to solve energy and environmental issues. We report herein the self-assembly of a Co^II-based metal-organic framework (MOF) constructed from 4,4',4'',4'''-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrabenzoic acid [or tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)ethylene, H₄TCPE] and 4,4'-bipyridyl (bpy) as four-point- and two-point-connected nodes, respectively. This material, namely, poly[(μ-4,4'-bipyridyl)[μ₈-4,4',4'',4'''-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrabenzoato]cobalt(II)], [Co(C₃₀H₁₆O₈)(C₁₀H₈N₂)]_n, crystallized as dark-red block-shaped crystals with high crystallinity and was fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, PXRD, IR, solid-state UV-Vis and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. The redox-active Co^II atoms in the structure could be used as the catalytic sites for hydrogen production via water splitting. The application of this new MOF as a heterogeneous catalyst for light-driven H₂ production has been explored in a three-component system with fluorescein as photosensitizer and trimethylamine as the sacrificial electron donor, and the initial volume of H₂ production is about 360 µmol after 12 h irradiation.