Wiggling Mesopores Kinetically Amplify the Adsorptive Separation of Propylene/Propane

Abstract

Adsorptive separation is an appealing technology for propylene and propane separation; however, the challenge lies in the design of efficient adsorbents which can distinguish the two molecules having very similar properties. Here we report a kinetically amplified separation by creating wiggling mesopores in structurally robust carbon monoliths. The wiggling mesopores with alternating wide and narrow segments afford a surface area of 413 m2 g−1 and a tri‐modal pore size distribution centered at 1.5, 4.2 and 6.6 nm, respectively. The synergistically kinetic and equilibrium effects were observed and quantitatively assessed, which together ensured a remarkable propylene/propane selectivity up to 39. This selectivity outperformed not only the available carbon adsorbents but also highly competitive among the dominated crystalline porous adsorbents. In addition, the wiggling mesoporous carbon adsorbent showed excellent dynamical separation stability, which ensured its great potential in practical molecular separations.

Enhanced azeotropic C2ClF5/C3F8 separation by TMA+ exchanged MFI zeolites for ultrapure fluorine electronic gas

“…The aforementioned conclusion is strengthened by similar regulating diffusion behaviors via plugged channels to enhance the kinetic separation. 41 To comprehensively assess the separation potential of TMAZ-2 with ZSM-5 for this separation, we further calculated the thermodynamic-kinetic combined selectivity 42…”

Synergetic thermodynamic/kinetic separation of C3H8/CH3F on carbon adsorbents for ultrapure fluoromethane electronic gas

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