MOF or COF membranes for olefin/paraffin separation: Current status and future research directions
Ruicong Wei, Xiaowei Liu, Zhiping Lai
Abstract
In response to global efforts to combat climate change, many research efforts have contributed to upgrading cryogenic distillation, an energy-intensive petrochemical operation, especially for olefin/paraffin separation. Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes can be a competitive candidate for this purpose. In this work, we reviewed the main progress of MOF membranes for olefin/paraffin separations, with the main focus on the potential of ZIF-8 for C3H6/C3H8 separation. Membranes of other potential materials, including covalent organic framework (COF) for olefin/paraffin separation, were also reviewed in detail. We then projected our views on searching for next-generation materials for high-performance olefin/paraffin separations. Finally, a guide of future research perspectives was provided to enable the first membrane of olefin/paraffin separation to be commercialized.