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Updated: Sep 4, 2025
From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
Published on: March 24, 2018
Discrimination of xylene isomers in a stacked coordination polymer
Liangying Li1,2, Lidong Guo1, David H Olson2
1Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The separation and purification of xylene isomers is an industrially important but challenging process. Developing highly efficient adsorbents is crucial for the implementation of simulated moving bed technology for industrial separation of these isomers. Herein, we report a stacked one-dimensional coordination polymer {[Mn(dhbq)(H2O)2], H2dhbq = 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone} that exhibits an ideal molecular recognition and sieving of xylene isomers. Its distinct temperature-adsorbate-dependent adsorption behavior enables full separation of p-, m-, and o-xylene isomers in both vapor and liquid phases. The delicate stimuli-responsive swelling of the structure imparts this porous material with exceptionally high flexibility and stability, well-balanced adsorption capacity, high selectivity, and fast kinetics at conditions mimicking industrial settings. This study may offer an alternative approach for energy-efficient and adsorption-based industrial xylene separation and purification processes.
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