Deep purification of perfluorinated electronic specialty gas with a scalable metal-organic framework featuring tailored positive potential traps.

Abstract

The sequestration of trace hexafluoropropylene (C₃F₆) is a critical yet formidable task in the production of high-purity perfluoropropane (C₃F₈), an important perfluorinated electronic specialty gas (F-gas) in the advanced electronics industry. Traditional adsorbents struggle with uneven, low-pressure uptake and compromises in selectivity. This work utilizes aperture size-electrostatic potential matching within a robust metal-organic framework (Al-PMA) to facilitate selective, reversible binding of C₃F₆ while excluding larger C₃F₈ molecules. The presence of bridging hydroxyl groups (μ₂-OH) in Al-PMA creates positive electrostatic potential traps that securely anchor C₃F₆ through strong hydrogen bonding, evidenced by in-situ infrared and ¹⁹F magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Breakthrough experiments demonstrate the efficient removal of trace C₃F₆ from C₃F₈ under ambient conditions, achieving C₃F₈ purity exceeding 99.999%. The scalability of Al-PMA synthesis, remarkable stability, and exceptional performance highlight its potential as a promising adsorbent for industrial C₃F₆/C₃F₈ separations.