A Rod-Packing Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework with Suitable Pore Confinement for Benchmark Ethane/Ethylene...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Separation Science

Background:

• Separating ethane (C2H6) from ethylene (C2H4) is critical for producing polymer-grade ethylene.
• Existing materials struggle to achieve both high C2H6 adsorption and C2H6/C2H4 selectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel material for efficient ethane/ethylene separation.
• To investigate the structure-property relationships governing selective C2H6 adsorption.

Main Methods:

• Reversible solid-state transformation of a labile hydrogen-bonded organic framework.
• Synthesis of a new rod-packing desolvated framework (ZJU-HOF-1).
• Gas adsorption measurements and theoretical calculations (e.g., density functional theory).

Main Results:

• ZJU-HOF-1 exhibits high C2H6 uptake (88 cm3/g at 0.5 bar, 298 K) and C2H6/C2H4 selectivity (2.25).
• Theoretical calculations show synergistic interactions between framework cavities/sites and C2H6.
• The material demonstrates efficient C2H6 capture from C2H6/C2H4 mixtures under humid conditions, yielding high C2H4 productivity (0.98 mmol/g).

Conclusions:

• ZJU-HOF-1 offers a promising solution for challenging ethane/ethylene separation.
• The material's unique structure facilitates selective C2H6 adsorption through multipoint interactions.
• High stability and low water uptake make ZJU-HOF-1 suitable for industrial applications.