Separating Xylene Isomers with a Calcium Metal‐Organic Framework

Abstract

Abstract The purification of p‐xylene (pX) from its xylene isomers represents a challenging but important industrial process. Herein, we report the efficient separation of pX from its ortho‐ and meta‐ isomers by a microporous calcium‐based metal–organic framework material (HIAM‐203) with a flexible skeleton. At 30 °C, all three isomers are accommodated but the adsorption kinetics of o‐xylene (oX) and m‐xylene (mX) are substantially slower than that of pX, and at an elevated temperature of 120 °C, oX and mX are fully excluded while pX can be adsorbed. Multicomponent column breakthrough measurements and vapor‐phase/liquid‐phase adsorption experiments have demonstrated the capability of HIAM‐203 for efficient separation of xylene isomers. Ab initio calculations have provided useful information for understanding the adsorption mechanism.