Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks for Kinetic Separation of Propane and Propene

Rutgers Inventor:
Jing Li, Ph.D.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Rutgers Technology #: 10-006

Invention Summary:
The separation of propane and propene by cryogenic distillation is one of the most energy-and cost-intensive industrial separation processes. Prof. Jing Li and her research group at Rutgers University have discovered an alternative adsorption-based kinetic separation of propene and propane. They demonstrate, for the first time, that zeolite-like microporous metal organic frameworks (MMOFs) are capable of separating these two hydrocarbon species based on the significant difference in their diffusion rates (125:1).

Market Applications:
Chemical and petrochemical industry.


Advantages:
This method is expected to be less expensive and more energy efficient than previous methods.

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