Issue 22, 2024

Fast adsorption and kinetic separation of benzene and cyclohexane/cyclohexene in a microporous metal azolate framework

Abstract

Benzene, cyclohexane, and cyclohexene are essential raw materials in the petrochemical industry. Their separation and purification rely on traditional distillation processes that consume a large amount of energy due to their close boiling points. Here, we describe a new microporous metal azolate framework for mild adsorptive and kinetic separation of the three hexacyclic hydrocarbons. This metal azolate framework exhibits ultrafast benzene adsorption in a short saturation time within seconds and ultrafast kinetic adsorptive separation of benzene/cyclohexane and benzene/cyclohexene. Investigation into the adsorption kinetics of benzene, cyclohexane and cyclohexene reveals a two-step adsorption process, including steps of intraparticle diffusion and surface adsorption, respectively. Also, by adjusting the sample particle size, the adsorption behaviour can be significantly controlled. The large-particle sample achieves a high selectivity for benzene/cyclohexene (94.3) and an inverse selectivity for cyclohexane/cyclohexene, being opposite to the small-particle sample. This highlights the feasibility of controlling adsorption selectivity by manipulating the kinetic steps in porous materials.

Graphical abstract: Fast adsorption and kinetic separation of benzene and cyclohexane/cyclohexene in a microporous metal azolate framework

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Mar 2024
Accepted
30 Apr 2024
First published
30 Apr 2024

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 13240-13246

Fast adsorption and kinetic separation of benzene and cyclohexane/cyclohexene in a microporous metal azolate framework

Z. Qiu, J. Li, B. He, P. Liao, M. Zhou, P. Li, R. Lin, J. Zhang and X. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 13240 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA02030H

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