Cu/SBA-15 AS ADSORBENT FOR PROPANE/PROPYLENE SEPARATION

E.I.BASALDELLA; J.C.TARA; G. AGUILAR ARMENTA; M.E.PATIÑO IGLESIAS

Journal Porous Materials

Springer

Año: 2007 vol. 14 p. 273 - 278

1573-4854

ABSTRACT             Samples of mesoporous silica SBA-15 were prepared under hydrothermal conditions and Cu cations were incorporated to the framework by impregnation. The adsorption/desorption equilibrium isotherms of propylene, propane, and N2 were measured to evaluate their usefulness in the propane/propylene separation. All the adsorption isotherms of SBA-15 without Cu cations were described by the Freundlich equation, meanwhile the adsorption isotherms of propane on Cu/SBA-15 were better represented by the Henry equation and those of propylene were satisfactory described by the Lagmuir model only in the range P<100 Torr. Adsorption uptake of propylene increased and that of propane decreased in Cu/SBA-15 as compared to the uptakes observed in SBA-15 sample.The presence of Cu atoms in the adsorbent lattice led to a greater selectivity towards propylene. Furthermore, under some working conditions the adsorbed amount of propylene in Cu/SBA-15 sample is totally reversible while propane uptake was negligible.