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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Electrophoretic Crystallization of Ultrathin High-performance Metal-organic Framework Membranes
Published on: August 16, 2018
High-Flux High-Selectivity Metal-Organic Framework MIL-160 Membrane for Xylene Isomer Separation by Pervaporation
Xiaocao Wu1, Wan Wei2, Jianwen Jiang2
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, 200241, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Separation of p-xylene (kinetic diameter ca. 0.58 nm) from its bulkier isomers (o-xylene and m-xylene, ca. 0.68 nm) is challenging, but important in the petrochemical industry. Herein, we developed a highly selective and stable metal-organic framework (MOF) MIL-160 membrane for selective separation of p-xylene from its isomers by pervaporation. The suitable pore size (0.5∼0.6 nm) of the MIL-160 membrane selectively allows p-xylene to pass through, while excluding the bulkier o-xylene and m-xylene. For the separation of equimolar binary p-/o-xylene mixtures at 75 °C, high p-xylene flux of 467 g m-2 h-1 and p-/o-xylene selectivity of 38.5 could be achieved. The stability of MIL-160, ensured the separation performance of the MIL-160 membrane was unchanged over a 24 h measurement. The high separation performance combined with its high thermal and chemical stability makes the MIL-160 membrane a promising candidate for the separation of xylene isomers.
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