Three-dimensional linker-promoted hierarchical porous metal–organic framework for natural gas purification

The purification of methane from natural gas is extremely important for industrial applications. In this study, hierarchical porous material LIFM-Z1 with microporous cages and mesoporous hexagonal one-dimensional channels was successfully synthesized and evaluated. The results show that LIFM-Z1 can effectively separate CH 4 from the mixed gas containing CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 and n-C 4 H 10 . Single-component adsorption experiments revealed the selective adsorption ability of LIFM-Z1 for C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , and n-C 4 H 10 , enabling a clear distinction between these components and CH 4 . This selectivity was further verified by dynamic breakthrough experiments. Theoretical analysis shows that the interaction between LIFM-Z1 and gas molecules mainly depends on the synergistic effect of C–H⋯O hydrogen bond and C–H⋯C van der Waals force. The results highlight the potential of utilizing 3D linkers to enhance the inner wall interaction with CH 4 and its related gases in MOF construction. These characteristics of LIFM-Z1 not only successfully demonstrate the potential of separation and purification of natural gas with high efficiency, but also show its broad application prospects in the actual natural gas processing.