Two-in-One Flexible Metal-Organic Framework: One-Step C2H4 Purification via Inverse C2H6-C2H4 and C2H2-CO2 Separations

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Debolina Mukherjee - , Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (Author)
  • Shyam Chand Pal - , Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (Author)
  • Jia Xin Wang - , Zhejiang University (Author)
  • Volodymyr Bon - , Chair of Inorganic Chemistry I (Author)
  • Santanu Chand - , Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (Author)
  • Stefan Kaskel - , Chair of Inorganic Chemistry I (Author)
  • Bin Li - , Zhejiang University (Author)
  • Dirk Volkmer - , Augsburg University (Author)
  • Madhab C. Das - , Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (Author)

Abstract

Flexible metal-organic frameworks (FMOFs) with "S-shaped" stepped isotherms are stimuli-responsive smart materials that exhibit dynamic structural changes in response to guests, offering intrinsic thermal management and excellent regenerability compared to the classical rigid adsorbents. Herein, a 2-fold interpenetrated 3D flexible MOF (FMOF): IITKGP-39 is reported whose gate-opening behavior is synchronously intertwined with the pore functionalization strategy, which served as a fascinating tool for simultaneous redressal of highly demanding one-step ethylene (C2H4) purification via inverse ethane-ethylene (C2H6/C2H4) separation (i.e., C2H6 trapping) as well as acetylene-carbon dioxide (C2H2/CO2) separation through one-step sorbent separation technology (OSST). Notably, IITKGP-39 represents the first FMOF to exhibit inverse C2H6/C2H4 sorption behavior with outstanding breakthrough separation selectivity of ∼2.3 at room temperature (298 K), accompanied by one-step C2H4 purification from ternary C2 gas mixtures. Further, it excels in C2H2/CO2 separation with a remarkable uptake ratio of ∼18 and high breakthrough selectivity of 8.3. A detailed elucidation into structural dynamics is revealed through in situ X-ray diffraction analysis that manifested the sorbate-induced structural transformation among three distinct phases: as-synthesized (phase-α), activated (phase-β), and gas sorption/gate opened phase (phase-γ). Thus, IITKGP-39 is a unique industrially compatible two-in-one physisorbent that serves as a multipurpose molecular separator by virtue of reversible flexibility with outstanding separation performances.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)29255-29270
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume147
Issue number32
Publication statusPublished - 13 Aug 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40739786