The separation and purification of light hydrocarbons (LHs) mixtures is one of the most significantly important but energy demanding processes in the petrochemical industry. As an alternative technology to energy intensive traditional separation methods, such as distillation, absorption, extraction, etc., adsorptive separation using selective solid adsorbents could potentially not only lower energy cost but also offer higher efficiency. The need to develop solid materials for the efficiently selective adsorption of LHs molecules, under mild conditions, is therefore of paramount importance and urgency. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), emerging as a relatively new class of porous organic-inorganic hybrid materials, have shown promise for addressing this challenging task due to their unparalleled features. Herein, recent advances of using MOFs as separating agents for the separation and purification of LHs, including the purification of CH4 , and the separations of alkynes/alkenes, alkanes/alkenes, C5 -C6 -C7 normal/isoalkanes, and C8 alkylaromatics, are summarized. The relationships among the structural and compositional features of the newly synthesized MOF materials and their separation properties and mechanisms are highlighted. Finally, the existing challenges and possible research directions related to the further exploration of porous MOFs in this very active field are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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用于分离和纯化轻烃的金属有机骨架材料。

轻烃（LHs）混合物的分离和纯化是石化行业中最重要但最耗能的过程之一。作为能量消耗大的传统分离方法（例如蒸馏，吸收，萃取等）的替代技术，使用选择性固体吸附剂的吸附分离不仅可以降低能源成本，而且可以提供更高的效率。因此，需要开发在温和条件下有效地选择性吸附LHs分子的固体材料，这是最重要和紧迫的。金属有机框架（MOF）作为一类相对较新的多孔有机-无机杂化材料而出现，由于其无与伦比的功能，已显示出有望解决这一艰巨任务的希望。在此处，总结了使用MOF作为分离剂纯化LHs的最新进展，包括CH4的纯化以及炔烃/烯烃，烷烃/烯烃，C5-C6-C7正构/异烷烃和C8烷基芳烃的分离。重点介绍了新合成的MOF材料的结构和组成特征及其分离特性和机理之间的关系。最后，还讨论了在这个非常活跃的领域中与多孔MOF的进一步探索有关的挑战和可能的研究方向。重点介绍了新合成的MOF材料的结构和组成特征及其分离特性和机理之间的关系。最后，还讨论了在这个非常活跃的领域中与多孔MOF的进一步探索有关的挑战和可能的研究方向。重点介绍了新合成的MOF材料的结构和组成特征及其分离特性和机理之间的关系。最后，还讨论了在这个非常活跃的领域中与多孔MOF的进一步探索有关的挑战和可能的研究方向。