The Adsorptive Separation of Ethylene from C2 Hydrocarbons by Metal‐Organic Frameworks

Abstract Separating ethylene (C2H4) from the C2 hydrocarbons is of prime industrial importance for the process of high‐purity C2H4 as an essential raw material in the petrochemical industry. Due to their similar physicochemical properties, the separation of C2H4 from the C2 hydrocarbons typically entails high‐energy separation technologies such as cryogenic distillation and extraction. Alternatively, adsorption separation using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are low‐energy separation technologies that manufacture high‐purity gas under mild conditions. In this review, we summarized the recent advances in MOFs for the separation and purification of C2H4 from the C2 hydrocarbons. The mechanisms underlying separating C2H4 from the C2 hydrocarbons using MOFs are also highlighted. This review also discussed the major challenges and developments of MOFs to separate C2H4 from the C2 hydrocarbons.