Separation and molecular-level segregation of complex alkane mixtures in metal-organic frameworks

J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Aug 20;130(33):10884-5. doi: 10.1021/ja804039c. Epub 2008 Jul 24.

Abstract

In this computational work we explore metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for separating alkanes according to the degree of branching. We show that the structure MOF-1 shows an adsorption hierarchy for a 13-component light naphtha mixture precisely as desired for increasing the research octane number of gasoline. In addition we report an unusual molecular-level segregation of molecules based on their degree of branching.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Alkanes / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Porosity
  • Silicates / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties
  • Zeolites / chemistry*

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Silicates
  • Zeolites