Microporous Metal-Organic Framework with Dual Functionalities for Highly Efficient Removal of Acetylene from Ethylene/Acetylene Mixtures

Published

July 4, 2015

Author(s)

Tong-Liang Hu, Hailong Wang, Bin Li, Rajamani Krishna, Hui Wu, Wei Zhou, Yunfeng Zhao, Yu Han, Xue Wang, Weidong Zhu, Zizhu Yao, Shengchang Xiang, Banglin Chen

Abstract

The removal of acetylene from ethylene/acetylene mixtures containing 1% acetylene is a technologically very important but highly challenging task. Current removal approaches include the partial hydrogenation of acetylene (C₂H₂) into ethylene (C₂H₄) over a noble metal catalyst and the solvent extraction of cracked olefins using an organic solvent, both of which are cost and energy consumptive. Here we report a microporous metal-organic framework (UTSA-100) in which the suitable pore/cage spaces preferentially take up much more acetylene than ethylene while the functional amine groups on the pore/cage surfaces further enforce their interactions with acetylene molecules, leading to its superior performance to other porous materials for C₂H₂/C₂H₄ separation. The single X-ray diffraction studies, temperature dependent gas sorption isotherms, simulated and experimental column breakthrough curves and molecular simulation studies collaboratively support the claim, underlying the potential of this microporous MOF for the industrial usage of the removal of acetylene from the ethylene/acetylene mixtures containing 1% acetylene at room temperature through the cost and energy efficient adsorption separation process.

Citation

Nature Communications

Volume

6

Issue

7328

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Metal-organic framework, Gas separation

Citation

Hu, T. , Wang, H. , Li, B. , Krishna, R. , Wu, H. , Zhou, W. , Zhao, Y. , Han, Y. , Wang, X. , Zhu, W. , Yao, Z. , Xiang, S. and Chen, B. (2015), Microporous Metal-Organic Framework with Dual Functionalities for Highly Efficient Removal of Acetylene from Ethylene/Acetylene Mixtures, Nature Communications, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=918539 (Accessed October 11, 2025)