Modulation of nanoscale sinuosity in asymmetric nano-channels for high-resolution separation of trace xylene isomer impurities.

ABSTRACT: The purification of para-xylene (pX) to ultra-high levels is critical for producing high-performance polyethylene terephthalate, yet trace-level quantification of its isomeric impurities, meta-xylene (mX) and ortho-xylene (oX), remains a formidable challenge due to their nearly identical boiling points and molecular dimensions. This study presents an aluminum-based metal-organic framework, Al-TCPB-Me₂, featuring asymmetric one-dimensional channels with a high sinuosity ratio that coupled molecular sieving and shape matching to achieve the baseline separation of xylene isomers. Structural characterization confirmed a sinuous channel with an entrance size of ∼6.8 Å, which excluded oX while enabling selective recognition of pX

SUBMITTER: Xu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12784293 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature