Issue 10, 2024

Recent advances on metal–organic frameworks for deep purification of olefins

Abstract

The removal of trace impurities, such as alkynes and carbon dioxide, is critically important in the production of high-purity light hydrocarbon olefins, which are essential for a variety of downstream applications. However, hydrocarbon separation presents challenges due to their similarities. Traditional industrial technologies for olefin purification are often associated with high energy consumption, costs, and environmental concerns. As a result, physical adsorption using porous materials without a phase transition of gases has emerged as a promising alternative, offering lower energy requirements and operational simplicity. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with expansive surface areas, significant porosity, and highly customizable pores, exhibit enormous potential for separating light hydrocarbon olefins. This review aims to provide an in-depth summary of the latest advancements in the separation of C2H4 and C3H6 from trace impurities using MOF materials. We will structure the progress of MOFs in this domain into four distinct sections based on the separation systems involved: (1) C2H2/C2H4 separation, (2) C3H4/C3H6 separation, (3) single-step C2H4 purification from ternary mixture C2H2/CO2/C2H4, and (4) C3H6 purification from ternary mixture C3H4 (propyne/methylacetylene, MA)/C3H4 (propadiene, PD)/C3H6. Additionally, the advantages of MOFs in the separation of ethylene and propylene, the innovation in material design, the integration of computer chemistry into reticular chemistry, the underlying separation mechanisms, and the strategies implemented to enhance separation performance will be discussed. Furthermore, this review will delineate the potential challenges encountered in transitioning MOF materials from the realm of academic research to industrial implementation, and summarize the prospects for this rapidly evolving field.

Graphical abstract: Recent advances on metal–organic frameworks for deep purification of olefins

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
15 jan 2024
Accepted
08 feb 2024
First published
09 feb 2024

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 5563-5580

Recent advances on metal–organic frameworks for deep purification of olefins

Y. Jiang, W. Yang, Y. Zhang, L. Wang and B. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 5563 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA00330F

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