Tandem reaction-adsorption separation of perfluorinated cyclopropane/propane mixtures

Abstract

Separating perfluorinated cyclopropane/propane mixtures is critical yet challenging for sustainably producing high-purity perfluropropane in the advanced electronics industry. Conventional one-step adsorption separation methods lack proper selectivity due to similar molecular sizes and properties. We introduce a tandem reaction-adsorption approach with ultrahigh selectivity and low-pressure uptake. The initial step converts perfluorinated cyclopropane into olefins, enhancing molecular size and polarity differences and enabling efficient sieving using a scalable, stable molecular sieve developed. The method achieves selectivity over two orders of magnitude higher than conventional methods, producing 99.9999% pure perfluropropane at 12.5 liters per kilogram per hour with a 98.8% yield in the fixed beds. The tandem reaction-adsorption methodology introduces an efficient route for separating and purifying industrially challenging gas analogs.