Metal Complex Adsorbent for 1,3-Butadiene Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional adsorbents face challenges in selectively separating 1,3-butadiene from mixed gases containing hydrocarbons with similar boiling points, requiring large apparatuses and high energy consumption, and exhibit low separation performance, necessitating improved adsorption and separation methods.
Innovation Solution
A metal complex composed of a dicarboxylic acid compound and an organic ligand capable of bidentate coordination, specifically using two or more types of dipyridyl compounds, is developed to enhance adsorption and separation performance, allowing selective separation of 1,3-butadiene from mixed gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional adsorbents (molecular sieve carbon, zeolite) are used for separating 1,3-butadiene from mixed gas, then separation is performed by equilibrium adsorption amount differences, but the separation factor is small requiring increased apparatus size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental adsorption parameter from equilibrium adsorption amount to adsorption rate. The metal complex adsorbent exhibits extremely fast adsorption rate for 1,3-butadiene compared to conventional adsorbents, enabling high separation factor without increasing apparatus size. This parameter change from thermodynamic equilibrium to kinetic control resolves the contradiction between separation factor and apparatus size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material approach by combining metal ions (Zn, Co, Ni, Cu) with organic ligands (carboxylic acid compounds and dipyridyl compounds) to create a metal complex compound. This composite structure provides both high adsorption rate and selectivity for 1,3-butadiene, achieving high separation factor in a compact apparatus.
2Reliability
If extractive distillation using polar solvent (DMF) is used to separate 1,3-butadiene, then separation is achieved, but extremely large amount of energy is required for recovering 1,3-butadiene from the solvent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-based extractive distillation process with an adsorption-based process using metal complex compounds. Instead of using heat for separation and subsequent energy-intensive distillation for solvent recovery, the invention uses selective adsorption followed by simple pressure or temperature swing for desorption, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining high separation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from liquid-liquid extraction requiring thermal separation to solid-gas adsorption allowing physical desorption. The metal complex adsorbent enables 1,3-butadiene to be selectively adsorbed from mixed gas, then easily recovered by reducing pressure or increasing temperature, avoiding the energy-intensive solvent recovery step of extractive distillation.
3Reliability
If conventional porous materials are used for gas adsorption, then gas adsorption is achieved, but separation performance with respect to target gas is low requiring multi-step separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the adsorption mechanism from physical adsorption based on surface area to chemically-specific adsorption based on metal-ligand interactions. The metal complex compounds exhibit extremely fast adsorption rates and high selectivity for 1,3-butadiene, achieving high separation performance in a single step instead of requiring multiple separation stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite metal complex materials combining metal ions with specifically designed organic ligands. This composite structure provides unique adsorption properties with extremely fast kinetics and high selectivity for 1,3-butadiene, enabling single-step separation with high purity recovery, eliminating the need for multi-step separation processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The metal complex achieves higher separation performance and energy efficiency, enabling the selective recovery of 1,3-butadiene with improved apparatus size and cost competitiveness, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
separation is carried out by the differences in its equilibrium adsorption amounts and/or adsorption rates
Implementation Method 2
porous metal complexes that induce a dynamic structural change by an external stimulus have been developed as adsorbents that provide separation performance superior to that of conventional porous materials
Data Source
AI summary
A separating material superior to conventional separating materials, and a separation method are provided, with which 1,3-butadiene is selectively separated and recovered from a mixed gas including 1,3-butadiene and C4 hydrocarbons other than 1,3-butadiene. A metal complex, which comprises a dicarboxylic acid compound (I) (see (I) below) represented by general formula (I), an ion of a metal such as beryllium, and a dipyridyl compound (II) represented by general formula (II), namely L-Z-L (II) (see L below), is characterized by including, as the dipyridyl compound (II), at least two different dipyridyl compounds (II). The metal complex is used as a 1,3-butadiene separating material. Formula (I) L is represented by any of the compounds below.