A fluorine-functionalized microporous In-MOF with high physicochemical stability for light hydrocarbon storage and separation

The storage and separation of hydrocarbons is of great importance for the petrochemical industry. Herein, we report a fluorine-functionalized microporous indium (In) metal–organic framework (UPC-104) for light hydrocarbon storage and separation. UPC-104 can be stable up to 300 °C, and can retain its framework in acidic and alkaline aqueous solutions (pH 1–11). Remarkably, the material exhibits very high H2 (230.8 cm3 g−1, 2.06 wt% at 77 K and 1 bar), C2H2 (187.0 cm3 g−1 at 273 K and 1 bar), and C3H6/C3H8 adsorption capacity (276.5 cm3 g−1 and 250.4 cm3 g−1 for C3H6 and C3H8 at 273 K and 1 bar), and shows potential for the separation of light hydrocarbons (C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H6, C3H8, n-C4H10, and i-C4H10 relative to CH4), as shown by single component gas sorption and selectivity calculations.