Molecular Sieve Research Articles

Enzymatic Deacidification and Aroma Characteristics Analysis of Rapeseed Oil Using Self-Made Immobilized Lipase CALB@MCM-41-C8.

Rapeseed oil is a widely consumed edible oil that contains varieties of beneficial micronutrients such as tocopherols and phytosterols; however, the high acid value due to increased free fatty acid can imperil the oil quality and safety. This paper proposed the enzymatic deacidification for high-acid rapeseed oil and simultaneous production of functional diacylglycerols (DAGs) catalyzed by self-made immobilized lipase CALB@MCM-41-C8. The results indicate that the carrier of molecular sieve MCM-41 exhibited a sufficient surface area of 1439.9 m2/g and a proper pore size of 3.5 nm, promoting the immobilization of lipase CLAB. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the acid value of rapeseed oil was largely decreased from 15.3 mg KOH/g to 1.7 mg KOH/g within 3 h, while DAG content was increased from 1.2% to 40.2%. The antioxidant stability of rapeseed oil was also increased from 4.3 h to 7.6 h after enzymatic deacidification. Besides, the deacidified rapeseed oil exhibited fatty, bitter almond aromas, compared to the picked-vegetable, spicy, and pungent aromas for high-acid oil. Finally, the catalytic stability and applicability of CALB@MCM-41-C8 was validated, thus demonstrating the great potential of CALB@MCM-41-C8 in green refining of edible oils and sustainable synthesis of functional lipids.

Efficient mitigation of lithium dendrite by two-dimensional A-type molecular sieve membrane for lithium metal battery

Uneven lithium deposition poses a primary challenge for lithium-ion batteries, as it often triggers the growth of lithium dendrites, thereby significantly compromising battery performance and potentially giving rise to safety concerns. Therefore, the high level of safety must be guaranteed to achieve the large-scale application of battery energy storage systems. Here, we present a novel separator design achieved by incorporating a two-dimensional A-type molecular sieve coating onto the polypropylene separator surface, which functions as an effective lithium ion redistribution layer. The results demonstrated that even after undergoing 1000 cycles, the cell equipped with a two-dimensional A-type molecular sieve-Polypropylene (2D-A-PP) separator still maintains an impressive capacity retention rate of 70 %. In contrast, cells equipped with Polypropylene (PP) separators exhibit capacity retention rates below 50 % after only 500 cycles. Additionally, the incorporation of a two-dimensional molecular sieve enhances the mechanical properties of the PP separator, thereby bolstering battery safety. This study proposes a novel concept for the design of lithium-ion battery separator materials, offering a fresh perspective on the development of separators with exceptional thermal stability, enhanced porosity, superior electrolyte affinity, and effective inhibition of lithium dendrite formation.

The preparation and investigation of ionic functional resins for deep dehydration of toluene

Toluene is a solvent and raw material widely used in industrial production. Reducing the water content of toluene to less than 10 mg/kg is of significant importance in fine chemicals. In this study, different ionic functional resins containing strong hydrophilic sulfonate groups were synthesized. These ionic functional resins exhibit an exceptional depth of toluene dehydration and an extremely high water absorption capacity. The most effective hydrogen functional resin has a water adsorption capacity of 679.7 mg/g, which is more than 2.5 times of 3A molecular sieve, and can dehydrate toluene from 180 mg/kg to less than 3 mg/kg. The specific surface area and pore size distribution of the resins were analyzed by nitrogen adsorption and desorption methods, and results show that these resins are mesoporous materials. The multilayer adsorption mechanism of the ionic functional resins was determined by fitting the adsorption isotherms using a Modified Dent model. The effects of contact time, oil-agent ratio, regeneration temperature, and number of regenerations were also investigated, and fixed-bed penetration curves were obtained to provide data for practical industrial applications. The results show that low-temperature drying at 80 °C is sufficient to regenerate the ionic functional resin. Finally, competitive adsorption studies with toluene and water reveal that the resin exhibit a higher affinity for water than for toluene.

Self-assembled chromium-based nitrogen carrier for chemical looping ammonia synthesis

Industrially, ammonia is generated mainly using the energy-intensive and CO2-emitting Haber-Bosch process, which is not conducive to sustainable economic and social development. The chemical looping ammonia synthesis (CLAS) is capable of coupling green energy, which is one of the available alternatives to the Haber-Bosch process, but the ammonia production rate of most of its nitrogen carriers is unsatisfactory. In this work, we designed a self-assembled nitrogen carrier using ZSM-5 molecular sieve (ZSM-5) and nickel (Ni) to modify chromium nitride (CrN). ZSM-5 molecular sieves have a rich pore structure, which enables the gas-phase reactants to react with the lattice nitrogen in the subsurface layer of the nitrogen carrier. Nickel can facilitate the dissociation of hydrogen during hydrogenation due to its higher hydrogen affinity. The ammonia production rate of the nitrogen carrier can reach 451.2 μmol g−1 h−1 at 700 °C and atmospheric pressure, and be able to remain 358 μmol g−1 h−1 after eight cycles. Furthermore, we also propose a full-coverage design strategy for nitrogen carriers: simultaneous optimization of the chemical and mass transfer processes in the nitrogen carrier. This work advances the design of high-performance nitrogen carrier, thus facilitating the applications of CLAS for the distributed ammonia synthesis.

Printable MXene Ink Hybridized with ZSM-5 for Gas Sensing and CO2 Capturing

In this work we present preparation, characterization and microprinting of Ti3C2/ZSM-5 ink. Printable inks with a viscosity of 5-6 cP were prepared by ultrasonic dispersion of Ti3C2/ZSM-5 nanopowders in DMSO solvent using 1% Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as dispersant. Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) results indicate a type IV adsorption isothermal curve for N2 gas with a type H4 retention ring. The data show that the average pore size of the composite material is 23nm, indicating that the material has a micro-mesoporous structure and exhibits excellent adsorption properties for gas sensing applications. However, the adsorption and desorption curves of CO2 shows hysteresis indicating strong interaction between functional groups on the material and CO2 molecules. This material has high CO2 adsorption performance and desorption hysteresis effect, indicating that it can be directly used for CO2 capture. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis showed the thermal stability of the composite, with a mass loss of only 5% at 800℃. Ti3C2/ZSM-5 composite ink has excellent anti-oxidation and dispersion properties. When the pure MXene interlayer void is exposed to air, the Ti element in MXene is easily oxidized to TiO2. The introduction of ZSM-5 not only limits the interaction between the functional groups on the surface of MXene, but also fills the layer gap of MXene, effectively reduces the contact with oxygen, and thus shows good oxidation resistance. No characteristic valence signal of TiO2 was observed in XPS results, which confirmed the effectiveness of the method. In addition, imidazole acid molecular sieve frame strengthened MXene adsorption, will have broad prospect of application in gas sensing field. In traditional printing methods, such as drop casting and spin coating, it is difficult to control the uniformity and roughness of coating thickness, which affects the service life and sensing properties of gas sensors. The use of spray atomization technology can maximize the uniform dispersion of ink, and can control the amount of spray, concentration, height and other parameters to control the thickness and roughness of the coating.

Microporous polyarylate membranes based on 3D phenolphthalein for molecular sieving.

Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes have gradually replaced some traditional technologies in the extraction, separation, and concentration of high value-added pharmaceutical ingredients due to their controllable microstructure. Nevertheless, devising solvent-stable, scalable TFC membranes with high permeance and efficient molecule selectivity is urgently needed to improve the separation efficiency in the separation process. Here, we propose phenolphthalein, a commercial acid-base indicator, as an economical monomer for optimizing the micropore structure of selective layers with thickness down to 30 nanometers formed by in situ interfacial reactions. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the polyarylate membranes prepared using three-dimensional phenolphthalein monomers exhibit tunable microporosity and higher pore interconnectivity. Moreover, the TFC membranes show a high methanol permeance (9.9 ± 0.1 liters per square meter per hour per bar) and small molecular weight cutoff (≈289 daltons) for organic micropollutants in organic solvent systems. The polyarylate membranes exhibit higher mechanical strength (2.4 versus 0.8 gigapascals) compared to the traditional polyamide membrane.

Crystalline Porous Organic Cage Membranes Constructed Using Fortified Intermolecular Interactions for Molecular Sieving.

Among the various types of materials with intrinsic porosity, porous organic cages (POCs) are distinctive as discrete molecules that possess intrinsic cavities and extrinsic channels capable of facilitating molecular sieving. However, the fabrication of POC membranes remains highly challenging due to the weak noncovalent intermolecular interactions and most reported POCs are powders. In this study, we constructed crystalline free-standing porous organic cage membranes by fortifying intermolecular interactions through the induction of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis. To elucidate the driving forces behind, a series of terephthaldehyde building blocks containing different substitutions were reacted with flexible triamine under different conditions via interfacial polymerization (IP). Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that intramolecular hydrogen bonding can significantly boost the intermolecular interactions. The resulting membranes exhibited fast solvent permeance and high rejection of dyes not only in water, but also in organic solvents. In addition, the membrane demonstrated excellent performance in precise molecular sieving in organic solvents. This work opens an avenue to designing and fabricating free-standing membranes composed of porous organic materials for efficient molecular sieving.

Crystalline Porous Organic Cage Membranes Constructed Using Fortified Intermolecular Interactions for Molecular Sieving

AbstractAmong the various types of materials with intrinsic porosity, porous organic cages (POCs) are distinctive as discrete molecules that possess intrinsic cavities and extrinsic channels capable of facilitating molecular sieving. However, the fabrication of POC membranes remains highly challenging due to the weak noncovalent intermolecular interactions and most reported POCs are powders. In this study, we constructed crystalline free‐standing porous organic cage membranes by fortifying intermolecular interactions through the induction of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which was confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. To elucidate the driving forces behind, a series of terephthaldehyde building blocks containing different substitutions were reacted with flexible triamine under different conditions via interfacial polymerization (IP). Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that intramolecular hydrogen bonding can significantly boost the intermolecular interactions. The resulting membranes exhibited fast solvent permeance and high rejection of dyes not only in water, but also in organic solvents. In addition, the membrane demonstrated excellent performance in precise molecular sieving in organic solvents. This work opens an avenue to designing and fabricating free‐standing membranes composed of porous organic materials for efficient molecular sieving.

Unraveling the relationship between microstructure of CMS membrane and gas transport property using molecular simulation

AbstractCarbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes are attractive for energy‐efficient gas separations. A challenge with the fabrication of a high‐performance CMS membrane is fine‐tuning its microstructure for precise and efficient separation. This necessitates a molecular‐scale analysis to understand its microstructure–performance relationship. Herein, molecular simulations were performed to unravel the relationships between four similar‐sized CMS matrices with different microstructural characteristics (e.g., chemical composition and micromorphology) and their gas transport properties. Results show that the disordered packing of carbon layers, leading to the formation of ultramicropore (2–7 Å), originates from stereoscopic sp3 hybridized carbon atoms rather than non‐carbon (oxygen) atoms. The size‐sieving ability of CMS depends positively on ultramicroporosity; the adsorption capacity is strengthened and then weakened with the increase of ultramicroporosity. Competitive effects are observed in binary‐mixture transport, and it is expected that the separation performance can be optimized by a reasonable distribution of ultramicropores combined with the affinity of oxygen‐containing species.

Ni-Based Molecular Sieves Nanomaterials for Dry Methane Reforming: Role of Porous Structure and Active Sites Distribution on Hydrogen Production.

Global warming, driven by greenhouse gases like CH4 and CO2, necessitates efficient catalytic conversion to syngas. Herein, Ni containing different molecular sieve nanomaterials are investigated for dry reforming of methane (DRM). The reduced catalysts are characterized by surface area porosity, X-ray diffraction, Raman infrared spectroscopy, CO2 temperature-programmed desorption techniques, and transmission electron microscopy. The active sites over each molecular sieve remain stable under oxidizing gas CO2 during DRM. The reduced 5Ni/CBV10A catalyst, characterized by the lowest silica-alumina ratio, smallest surface area and pore volume, and narrow 8-ring connecting channels, generated the maximum number of active sites on its outer surface. In contrast, the reduced-5Ni/CBV3024E catalyst, with the highest silica-alumina ratio, more than double the surface area and pore volume, 12-ring sinusoidal porous channels, and smallest Ni crystallite, produced the highest H2 output (44%) after 300 min of operation at 700 °C, with a CH4:CO2 = 1:1, P = 1 atom, gas hour space velocity (GHSV) = 42 L gcat-1 h-1. This performance was achieved despite having 25% fewer initial active sites, suggesting that a larger fraction of these sites is stabilized within the pore channels, leading to sustained catalytic activity. Using central composite design and response surface methodology, we successfully optimized the process conditions for the 5Ni/CBV3024E catalyst. The optimized conditions yielded a desirable H2 to CO ratio of 1.00, with a H2 yield of 91.92% and a CO yield of 89.16%, indicating high efficiency in gas production. The experimental results closely aligned with the predicted values, demonstrating the effectiveness of the optimization approach.

Polysaccharide as a Separation Medium for Gel Electrophoresis

Gel electrophoresis and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) are vital techniques in biochemical research, employing gel matrix structures made of polysaccharides or synthetic polymers like polyacrylamide for the analysis and separation of macromolecules. Polysaccharides, such as agarose, offer safer alternatives to acrylamide. Polysaccharide gels, notably agarose, facilitate the analysis and purification of proteins and nucleic acids through a molecular sieving mechanism. Gel electrophoresis for proteins is mainly divided into denaturing and native methods. Denaturing electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) simplifies protein migration but disrupts molecular interactions. Conversely, native gel electrophoresis, without SDS, allows proteins to migrate based on the running pH and the isoelectric point of the proteins, while nucleic acids consistently migrate toward the anode. The electrophoresis of proteins with variable charges presents complexes. This review focuses on the use of polysaccharides, particularly agarose, for native gel electrophoresis, highlighting their applications in separating macromolecules. It also discusses the applications and limitations of agarose gels when used as a matrix for electrophoresis. Such information should help in designing electrophoresis experiments using polysaccharides.

Complexing agent-assisted Cr(VI) removal in a continuous fixed-bed system with nanoscale Fe0/NaA molecular sieve membrane supported on nickel foam

Complexing agents (CAs) can be used for the removal of Cr(VI) via nanoscale Fe0 (nZVI) reduction in cost-effective manner. However, nZVI is prone to aggregation and passivation, and some conventional CAs are toxic and difficult to biodegrade, potentially causing secondary pollution. Therefore, selecting an environmentally friendly CA for assisting in the removal of Cr(VI) via supported nZVI is imperative. Herein, NaA molecular sieve membrane-supported nZVI (nZVI/NaA-NF) was prepared via the secondary growth and liquid-phase reduction method using nickel foam (NF) as the carrier. The physicochemical characteristics of nZVI/NaA-NF before and after reaction were analysed via SEM, EDS, and XPS. A CA-improved nZVI/NaA-NF was used for the effective removal of Cr(VI) in a continuous fixed-bed system. Furthermore, the influences of various experimental factors including the CA type, CA concentration, solution pH, space velocity, and inlet Cr(VI) concentration on Cr(VI) removal were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that nZVI particles were homogeneously immobilized on the NaA molecular sieve membrane/NF for fresh nZVI/NaA-NF, and tetrasodium iminidisuccinate (IDS-4Na) inhibited the aggregation of Cr(III)/Fe(III) (hydr)oxide precipitates during the reaction. IDS-4Na demonstrated excellent promotive effect on Cr(VI) removal via nZVI/NaA-NF. The breakthrough time for Cr(VI) in the addition of IDS-4Na was considerably longer than that of nZVI/NaA-NF alone. The breakthrough concentration of Cr(VI) only reached 1.1% and 9.9% of the inlet concentration at 220 and 240 min, with an IDS-4Na concentration of 4 mM, a pH of 2.5, and a space velocity of 0.265 min−1. The Bohart–Adams model was appropriate to predict the initial part of Cr(VI) breakthrough curves in the nZVI/NaA-NF fixed bed. The saturated concentration (N0) increased with an increase in inlet Cr(VI) concentration. The Yoon–Nelson model afforded good fitting results for all breakthrough curves of Cr(VI). The k′ value increased with an increase in space velocity, and the τ value decreased.

Adaptive healing of stress-induced dynamic cracks in a metal-organic framework membrane using nanoparticles.

Dewatering of aqueous azeotropes is crucial and pervasive in raw chemical refineries and solvent recovery in the chemical industry but is recognized as one of the most energy-intensive processes. Pervaporation using crystalline molecular sieve membranes provides an energy-efficient solution, but stress loads stemming from thermal and mechanical risks of pervaporation are most likely to cause membrane cracks, which greatly reduces reliability of membranes in real-world applications. Here, we propose adaptive healing of stress-induced dynamic cracks (AHSDC) in the membrane in a risk-responding manner before separation by using in situ-formed nanoparticles in the same chemical environment. These nanoparticles naturally filled in fissure gaps once cracks formed in the membrane, forming adaptive healing zones. Without loss of dewatering capacity, the separation durability of the membrane after AHSDC was improved by at least two orders of magnitude. The membrane also exhibited tolerance to industrial-grade azeotropes that epitomize industrial multisource nature and complexity.

Innovative proposal for N2 capturing in Liquid Argon using the Li-FAU molecular Sieve

In this work, we unveil the potential of nitrogen (N2) adsorption from Liquid Argon (LAr) through the molecular sieves (zeolites) Li-FAU Adsorbents. We report detailed studies about N2 gas adsorption at T = 89 K using a commercial Micromeritics ASAP-2420 equipment and N2 purification from LAr using the Purification Cryostat (PuLArC) at IFGW/Unicamp. We argue that the N2 adsorption by the Li-FAU is possible thanks to the stronger interaction of N2 with the lithium cations present in zeolite Li-FAU. In fact, the experiments performed in PuLArC have unequivocally shown that the Li-FAU adsorbent was capable of capturing N2, reducing a N2 contamination of 20–50 ppm to 0.1–1.0 ppm in 1–2 hours of circulation time in LAr for several runs.This result demonstrated the great potential of the Li-FAU adsorbent for N2 capturing in LAr and invoke further tests of this material in larger scale LAr cryostats in order to confirm the innovative proposal of using the Li-FAU molecular sieve in replacement of Molecular Sieve 4A, currently used in LAr cryostats for neutrino experiments.

Co-pyrolysis of refinery oil sludge with biomass and spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for resource recovery.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of two different refinery oily sludge (ROS) samples was conducted to facilitate resource recovery. Non-catalytic pyrolysis in temperatures ranging from 500 to 600°C was performed to determine high oil yields. Higher temperatures enhanced the oil yields up to ~ 24 wt%, while char formation remained unchanged (~ 45%) for S1. Conversely, S2 exhibited a notably lower oil yield (~ 4 wt%) than S1. Pyrolysis oil of S1 consisted of phenolics (~ 50% at 600°C) whereas hydrocarbons were predominant in S2 oil (~ 80% at 600°C). Catalytic pyrolysis of S1 did not exhibit a substantial impact on oil yields but the oil composition varied significantly. High hydrocarbons, phenolics, and aromatics were obtained with molecular sieve (MS), metal slag, and ZSM-5, respectively. Catalytic co-pyrolysis of S2 with sawdust (SD) in the presence of MS enhanced the oil yield, and the resulting oil consisted of high hydrocarbons (~ 54%) and aromatics (~ 44%).

Schlenk line protocols for using SmI2 and the impact of THF solvent

Samarium diiodide (SmI2) is a single electron reductant and versatile synthetic tool that can be used to create carbon- carbon bonds or other synthetic transformations. SmI2 is typically used with an Argon atmosphere glovebox and anhydrous solvents from a solvent purification system; however, not all labs have access to these equipment. A more accessible air-free option is Schlenk line glassware. Here in reports an optimized method for the synthesis and use of SmI2 on a Schlenk line. During optimization of the system, it was found that the largest impact on the success of SmI2 was the THF solvent. Anhydrous solvent was achieved though distillation, but after storage of the solvent over two weeks enough moisture/air was accumulated to significantly impact the concentration of the SmI2 formed in solution. The use of molecular sieves further indicates that the impact of water accumulation in the solvent compared to oxygen has the most significant factor on the success of synthesizing SmI2. These observations of THF storage overtime are important to account for when carrying out SmI2 reactions and other air-sensitive reactions on the Schlenk line.

The methane dry reforming reaction was conducted using a combination of lamellar vermiculite molecular sieve and highly active perovskite catalyst

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) enables the conversion of two greenhouse gases, CH4 and CO2, into syngas, offering remarkable environmental and economic benefits. The primary challenge in this process lies in maintaining the catalyst's high catalytic activity and stability. In this study, natural vermiculite (VMT) was employed to modify the layer carrier with a large specific surface area and suitable pore size. By combining the structural characteristics of perovskite, we synthesized the LaNiO3/VMT-SiO2 perovskite catalyst using the citric acid complex method for methane dry reforming reaction. The results demonstrate that at T = 750 °C and GHSV = 36,000 mL/(h·gcat), the catalyst exhibits excellent activity (achieving maximum conversions of 82% for CO2 and 90% for CH4) as well as stability (up to 24 h). Characterization techniques such as XRD and TEM revealed that the catalyst possesses exceptional catalytic activity and stability due to its horizontally distributed active component Ni within perovskite. Through pretreatment, we obtained an active component Ni with small particle size and uniform dispersion along with a carrier featuring a large specific surface area. Furthermore, alkaline La2O3 in the reduced catalyst enhances its carbon resistance.

Mechanism of methanol-to-olefin (MTO) reaction

The full name of MTO is methanol to olefin, which is a new chemical reaction process to gain an important chemistry industry raw material. In this paper, we mainly talk about several general reaction process as well as the mechanism of the reaction. The use of molecular sieve catalytic process is a key point where the new MTO process different form the original simple petroleum cracking in order to again olefin. In this work we mainly discuss how the MTO process could happen with the assist of the molecular sieve catalyst. There are direct mechanism Carbene mechanism and Methane-formaldehyde mechanism. The effect of the direct mechanism is to gain some simple and short Carbon-Carbon product. And then the indirect mechanism will take on to control the rate of the reacting process and the ration of different products. By studying on the mechanism of the MTO reaction, we can figure out how a powerful catalyst, molecular sieve catalyst, works in the reaction. Also, the MTO process is a meaningful way to take place of the origin cracking process to gain olefin, as the storage of petroleum is decreasing fast recently.

External surface Al-rich ZSM-48 zeolite with high efficient n-dodecane hydroisomerization activity

ZSM-48 zeolites with exterior Al-rich (Z-48-Sx) are synthesized by the recrystallization method. The crystal structure of Z-48-Sx with the Al-rich outer layer is verified by analyzing the crystallization process of Z-48-Sx and the EDS of the ultrathin section. The diffusion properties of Z-48-S3 and Z-48-C are investigated by the zero-length column (ZLC) method, and the synthesized ZSM-48 zeolite with an Al-rich external layer effectively improves the diffusion ability. The effective diffusion constants of Z-48-S3 are 53 %–102 % higher than those of the conventional ZSM-48 (Z-48-C). Meanwhile, the values of turnover frequency (TOF) of Z-48-S3 are increased by 14 %–63 % at similar n-dodecane conversions compared with Z-48-C, which is closely related to the diffusion characteristics. In addition, the depth of hydroisomerization (Iiso) of Z-48-S3 is decreased by 65.3 %, and the isomerization selectivity is increased by 52.5 % at 340 °C compared with that of Z-48-C. Hence, the ZSM-48 molecular sieves synthesized by the recrystallization hydrothermal method are beneficial for controlling the depth of hydroisomerization of the catalyst and reducing the occurrence of the cracking reaction. Meanwhile, the isomer distribution does not change significantly compared with that of the conventional ZSM-48, and the 5-methylundecane is still the main isomerization product.

Green and Scalable Preparation of an Isomeric CALF-20 Adsorbent with Tailored Pore Size for Molecular Sieving of Propylene from Propane.

Molecular sieving of propylene (C3H6) from propane (C3H8) is highly demanded for C3H6 purification. However, delicate control over aperture size to achieve both high C3H6 uptake and C3H6/C3H8 selectivity with low cost remains a significant challenge. Herein, a green and scalable approach is reported for preparing an isomeric CALF-20 adsorbent, termed as NCU-20, using water as the only solvent with a cost of $10 per kilogram. NCU-20 features a contracted pore size (4.2×4.7Å2) compared to CALF-20 (5.2×5.7Å2), which enables molecular sieving of C3H6 (4.16×4.65Å2) from C3H8 (4.20×4.80Å2). Notably, NCU-20 exhibits record-high C3H6 adsorption capacity (94.41 cm3cm-3) at 298K and 1.0bar, outperforming all C3H6/C3H8 molecular sieving adsorbents. The sieving performances of C3H6/C3H8 are well maintained at elevated temperatures. Therefore, a delicate balance between C3H6 adsorption capacity (91.62 cm3cm-3) and C3H6/C3H8 selectivity (uptake ratio of 22.2) is obtained on NCU-20 at 298K and 0.5bar. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate a high productivity of 65.39 cm3cm-3 for high-purity C3H6 (>99.5%) from an equimolar C3H6/C3H8 gas-mixture.