Efficient CO2/CO Separation by Pressure Swing Adsorption Using an Intrinsically Nanoporous Molecular Crystal.

The physisorption-based separation of CO₂ from CO is an energy-efficient yet challenging approach to obtain pure CO. We have applied an intrinsically porous molecular crystal (PMC), assembled from the readily synthesized macrocyclic cyclotetrabenzoin acetate to the problem of CO₂/CO separation. This nanoporous material possesses both kinetic (micropore) and thermodynamic (CO₂–π and CO₂–carbonyl interactions) factors needed for selective CO₂ capture. The moderate CO₂–adsorbent interaction allows easy regeneration needed for pressure swing adsorption (PSA). Both trace (1%) and bulk (50%) amounts of CO₂ can be removed from CO₂/CO gas mixtures in PSA processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]