@article{wang_shivanna_zheng_pham_forrest_yang_guan_space_kitagawa_zaworotko_2024, title={Ethane/Ethylene Separations in Flexible Diamondoid Coordination Networks via an Ethane-Induced Gate-Opening Mechanism}, volume={146}, ISSN={["1520-5126"]}, DOI={10.1021/jacs.3c13117}, abstractNote={Separating ethane (C2H6) from ethylene (C2H4) is an essential and energy-intensive process in the chemical industry. Here, we report two flexible diamondoid coordination networks, X-dia-1-Ni and X-dia-1-Ni0.89Co0.11, that exhibit gate-opening between narrow-pore (NP) and large-pore (LP) phases for C2H6, but not for C2H4. X-dia-1-Ni0.89Co0.11 thereby exhibited a type F-IV isotherm at 273 K with no C2H6 uptake and a high uptake (111 cm3 g-1, 1 atm) for the NP and LP phases, respectively. Conversely, the LP phase exhibited a low uptake of C2H4 (12.2 cm3 g-1). This C2H6/C2H4 uptake ratio of 9.1 for X-dia-1-Ni0.89Co0.11 far surpassed those of previously reported physisorbents, many of which are C2H4-selective. In situ variable-pressure X-ray diffraction and modeling studies provided insight into the abrupt C2H6-induced structural NP to LP transformation. The promise of pure gas isotherms and, more generally, flexible coordination networks for gas separations was validated by dynamic breakthrough studies, which afforded high-purity (99.9%) C2H4 in one step.}, number={6}, journal={JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY}, author={Wang, Shao-Min and Shivanna, Mohana and Zheng, Su-Tao and Pham, Tony and Forrest, Katherine A. and Yang, Qing-Yuan and Guan, Qingqing and Space, Brian and Kitagawa, Susumu and Zaworotko, Michael J.}, year={2024}, month={Feb}, pages={4153–4161} }