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ExxonMobil discover new material that could reduce the amount of energy and emissions

Scientists from Exxon Mobil and the Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica discovered a potentially revolutionary new material.

ExxonMobil discover new material that could reduce the amount of energy and emissions



Scientists from ExxonMobil and the Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica (ITQ) in Valencia, Spain have discovered a potentially revolutionary new material that could significantly reduce the amount of energy and emissions associated with the production of ethylene.

Depending on the application, use of the new material, in conjunction with other novel separation processes, could result in up to a 25 % reduction in both the energy needed for ethylene separation, as well as the associated carbon dioxide emissions.

ExxonMobil and ITQ researchers found that the new material, composed of a uniquely structured silica zeolite, can be used in gas separation processes, such as the recovery of ethylene from ethane, with an unprecedented degree of selectivity at ambient temperature.

The new material could provide insights into the design of additional materials to be used as adsorbents or membranes in a variety of different gas separation applications associated with chemical manufacturing. Zeolites are porous materials frequently used as adsorbents and catalysts in chemical processes.

«Cryogenic distillation, the current commercial-scale process used for ethylene separation, is an energy-intensive process,» said Vijay Swarup, vice president of research and development at Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering Company.

«If advanced to commercial scale, use of this new material could significantly reduce the amount of energy and emissions associated with ethylene production. This is another great example of collaboration between industry and a university that is focused on driving solutions for improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions from industrial processes», he said

The patented new material, ITQ-55, is able to selectively adsorb ethylene over ethane as a result of its unique flexible pore structure. Built from heart-shaped cages interconnected by flexible elongated pore openings, the material allows the diffusion of the flatter ethylene molecules as opposed to the more cylindrical-shaped ethane molecules. The new material acts as a flexible molecular sieve.


«ITQ-55 is a very interesting material whose unique combination of pore dimension, topology, flexibility and chemical composition results in a highly stable and inert material that is able to adsorb ethylene and filter out ethane,» said Professor Avelino Corma of the Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica and co-author of the research.