Control of zeolite framework flexibility and pore topology for separation of ethane and ethylene

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aao0092
• Publication Date: 2017-11-23T19:10:42Z
• Authors: Pablo J. Bereciartua; Ángel Cantín; Avelino Corma; José L. Jordá; Miguel Palomino; Fernando Rey; Susana Valencia; Edward W. Corcoran; Pavel Kortunov; Peter I. Ravikovitch; Allen Burton; Chris Yoon; Yu Wang; Charanjit Paur; Javier Guzman; Adeana R. Bishop; Gary L. Casty
• Keywords: Separation (statistics)

The discovery of new materials for separating ethylene from ethane by adsorption, instead using cryogenic distillation, is a key milestone molecular separations because the multiple and widely extended uses these molecules in industry. This technique has potential to provide tremendous energy savings when compared with currently used distillation process produced through steam cracking. Here we describe synthesis structural determination flexible pure silica zeolite (ITQ-55). material can kinetically separate an unprecedented selectivity ~100, owing its distinctive pore topology large heart-shaped cages framework flexibility. Control such properties extends boundaries applicability zeolites challenging separations.