Modified MOFs improve propane-propylene separation

MOFs are highly porous crystalline solids with metal ions or metal clusters joined by groups of organic linkers. Varying these parts can create solids with internal pores that trap selected molecules or catalyse chemical reactions. The team's findings have been published in Nature Materials. 

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“These crystalline materials are difficult to process, but we have developed a way to solubilise them,” said Anastasiya Bavykina from the research team at the KAUST Catalysis Center.

The KAUST researchers produced membranes composed of the MOF embedded in a polymer, which they claim can achieve outstanding performance in the separation of propylene gas from propane.

Propylene is used to make the polypropylene, which is widely used in applications including packaging. It can also be converted into other polymers and industrial chemicals after it is separated from propane.