Two Trinuclear-Cluster-Based MOFs with High-Density N Sites for One-Step Natural Gas Purification and MTO Product...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Adsorption Science

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crucial for gas adsorption and separation.
• Efficient separation of natural gas and MTO products requires advanced materials.
• MOFs with tailored pore environments offer potential solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize and characterize novel MOFs, JLU-MOF191 and JLU-MOF192.
• Investigate the adsorption and separation performance of these MOFs for C3H8, C3H6, C2H6, C2H4, and CH4.
• Evaluate the potential of JLU-MOF192-Li for industrial applications in natural gas purification and MTO product separation.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of JLU-MOF191 and JLU-MOF192.
• Li+ ion exchange to form JLU-MOF192-Li.
• BET surface area analysis and thermal stability tests.
• Gas adsorption isotherms and DFT calculations.
• Column penetration experiments for separation validation.

Main Results:

• JLU-MOF191 and JLU-MOF192-Li were successfully synthesized with permanent pores and high BET surface areas.
• JLU-MOF192-Li exhibited superior adsorption capacities and selectivity for C3H8, C3H6, and C2H6 compared to JLU-MOF191.
• DFT calculations confirmed higher adsorption affinity of JLU-MOF192-Li for target gases over C2H4 and CH4.
• Column experiments achieved 99.9% purity for methane and ethylene from complex mixtures.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized MOFs, particularly JLU-MOF192-Li, show significant potential for natural gas upgrading and MTO product purification.
• The N-binding sites within the MOF channels enhance gas interactions, leading to improved separation performance.
• JLU-MOF192-Li is a promising candidate for industrial-scale gas separation processes.