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Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Electrophoretic Crystallization of Ultrathin High-performance Metal-organic Framework Membranes
Published on: August 16, 2018
Flexible Zn-MOF with Rare Underlying scu Topology for Effective Separation of C6 Alkane Isomers
Ever Velasco1, Shikai Xian1,2, Hao Wang2
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, 123 Bevier Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.
Abstract:
Adsorptive separation by porous solids provides an energy-efficient alternative for the purification of important chemical species compared to energy-intensive distillations. Particularly, the separation of linear hexane isomers from its branched counterparts is crucial to produce premium grade gasoline with high research octane number (RON). Herein, we report the synthesis of a new, flexible zinc-based metal-organic framework, [Zn5(μ3-OH)2(adtb)2(H2O)5·5 DMA] (Zn-adtb), constructed from a butterfly shaped carboxylate linker with underlying (4,8)-connected scu topology capable of separating the C6 isomers nHEX, 3MP, and 23DMB. The sorbate-sorbent interactions and separation mechanisms were investigated and analyzed through in situ FTIR, solid state NMR measurements and computational modeling. These studies reveal that Zn-adtb discriminates the nHEX/3MP isomer pair through a kinetic separation mechanism and the nHEX/23DMB isomer pair through a molecular sieving mechanism. Column breakthrough measurements further demonstrate the efficient separation of linear nHEX from the mono- and dibranched isomers.
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