A fluorine-functionalized microporous In-MOF with high physicochemical stability for light hydrocarbon storage and separation

Abstract

The storage and separation of hydrocarbons is of great importance for the petrochemical industry. Herein, we report a fluorine-functionalized microporous indium (In) metal–organic framework (UPC-104) for light hydrocarbon storage and separation. UPC-104 can be stable up to 300 °C, and can retain its framework in acidic and alkaline aqueous solutions (pH 1–11). Remarkably, the material exhibits very high H₂ (230.8 cm³ g⁻¹, 2.06 wt% at 77 K and 1 bar), C₂H₂ (187.0 cm³ g⁻¹ at 273 K and 1 bar), and C₃H₆/C₃H₈ adsorption capacity (276.5 cm³ g⁻¹ and 250.4 cm³ g⁻¹ for C₃H₆ and C₃H₈ at 273 K and 1 bar), and shows potential for the separation of light hydrocarbons (C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₆, C₃H₈, n-C₄H₁₀, and i-C₄H₁₀ relative to CH₄), as shown by single component gas sorption and selectivity calculations.