Thiazole functionalized covalent triazine frameworks for C₂H₆/C₂H₄ separation with remarkable ethane uptake.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Adsorption Science

Background:

• Efficient separation of ethane (C2H6) from ethylene (C2H4) is crucial for the petrochemical industry.
• Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show potential for gas separation but often lack stability and high capacity.
• Developing robust and selective adsorbents is key for optimizing industrial gas purification processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a highly stable thiazole-functionalized covalent triazine framework (CTF-BT-500).
• To evaluate the performance of CTF-BT-500 for ethane/ethylene separation.
• To provide insights into designing advanced adsorbents for gas purification.

Main Methods:

• Thiazole functionalization of a covalent triazine framework precursor.
• High-temperature synthesis of CTF-BT-500.
• Gas adsorption measurements at 298 K and 1 bar to determine ethane uptake and selectivity.

Main Results:

• CTF-BT-500 was successfully synthesized, exhibiting high thermal and chemical stability.
• The material achieved a record-high ethane uptake of 99.7 cm³ g⁻¹ among reported COFs.
• CTF-BT-500 demonstrated excellent C2H6 selectivity over C2H4, indicating strong adsorption capabilities.

Conclusions:

• CTF-BT-500 is a highly stable and effective adsorbent for C2H6/C2H4 separation.
• The developed framework offers a promising platform for value-added gas purification.
• This study provides a design strategy for robust adsorbents in gas separation technologies.