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Title: Rationally tuned micropores within enantiopure metal-organic frameworks for highly selective separation of acetylene and ethylene

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1206· OSTI ID:1006446

Separation of acetylene and ethylene is an important industrial process because both compounds are essential reagents for a range of chemical products and materials. Current separation approaches include the partial hydrogenation of acetylene into ethylene over a supported Pd catalyst, and the extraction of cracked olefins using an organic solvent; both routes are costly and energy consuming. Adsorption technologies may allow separation, but microporous materials exhibiting highly selective adsorption of C{sub 2}H{sub 2}/C{sub 2}H{sub 4} have not been realized to date. Here, we report the development of tunable microporous enantiopure mixed-metal-organic framework (M'MOF) materials for highly selective separation of C{sub 2}H{sub 2} and C{sub 2}H{sub 4}. The high selectivities achieved suggest the potential application of microporous M'MOFs for practical adsorption-based separation of C{sub 2}H{sub 2}/C{sub 2}H{sub 4}.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1006446
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 2; ISSN 2041--1723
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English