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Scalable large-area ZIF-8 membranes for industrial propylene/propane separations

Nature Chemical Engineering (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

The membrane-based separation of propylene/propane represents a promising breakthrough, with the potential to reshape this energy-intensive chemical process. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes stand out among the various material candidates due to their superior performance. However, advancing ZIF-8 membranes from laboratory-scale demonstrations to industrial deployment requires breakthroughs in scalable, defect-free preparation, challenges that conventional methods have yet to overcome. Here we present a micro-space transformation process (MSTP) that enables controlled nucleation and crystallization by decoupling the direct collision between zinc ions and ligands. This approach allows the sealed inner cavities of tubular supports to serve as reaction spaces to scalably fabricate heterostructured ZIF-8 membranes with an industrially relevant area of 200 cm2. We demonstrate the batch preparation of 234 membranes (totaling >4.6 m2), which were assembled into membrane modules with attractive performance and long-term stability toward industrial feed gases. We also take a critical step toward industrial implementation by developing a side-stream separation unit and demonstrating membrane integration applications, thereby establishing an energy-efficient pathway for practical membrane-based olefin purification.

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Fig. 1: Synthesis and characterization of HZIF-8 membranes.
Fig. 2: Synthesis mechanism of large-area HZIF-8 membranes.
Fig. 3: Separation performance of the HZIF-8 membrane.
Fig. 4: Scalable fabrication of the HZIF-8 membrane and modules.
Fig. 5: PDMS/HZIF-8 membrane industrial side-stream separation.

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All the data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the article are present in the main text or the Supplementary Information. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20414 to W.X., 22408158 to H.L.), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFB3802200 to Y.P.) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20240558 to H.L.), the State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering (SKL-MCE-24A07 to Y.P.) and the Jiangsu Provincial High-Level Talent Training Program (‘333 Project’ to Y.P.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, P. R. China

    Haiqian Lian  (廉海乾), Jingxian Hua  (花敬贤), Qian Wang  (汪倩), Eryue Song  (宋二悦), Yawei Gu  (顾亚伟), Yichang Pan  (潘宜昌) & Weihong Xing  (邢卫红)

  2. Department of Energy and Environmental Materials, Suzhou Laboratory, Suzhou, P. R. China

    Yichang Pan  (潘宜昌) & Weihong Xing  (邢卫红)

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  1. Haiqian Lian  (廉海乾)
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Contributions

Y.P. and H.L. conceived the idea. H.L., J.H. and Q.W. designed the experiments, analyzed the data and wrote the paper. Q.W. and E.S. synthesized and characterized the membranes. H.L. and Y.G. conducted the density functional theory simulations and computational fluid dynamics simulations. H.L. conducted and analyzed the economic evaluation of membrane and distillation coupling process. H.L., J.H., Q.W., E.S., Y.G., Y.P. and W.X. discussed the results and commented on the paper.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yichang Pan  (潘宜昌) or Weihong Xing  (邢卫红).

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Nature Chemical Engineering thanks Hae-Kwon Jeong, Jerry Y.S. Lin and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Extended data

Extended Data Fig. 1 Synthesis schematic of HZIF-8 membrane.

Schematic of a HZIF-8 membrane fabricated by the micro-space transformation process (MSTP).

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information (download PDF )

Supplementary materials and methods, Figs. 1–54, Tables 1–17 and references.

Supplementary Data 1 (download ZIP )

Atomic coordinates of the optimized computational models.

Source data

Source Data Fig. 1 (download XLSX )

Statistical source data.

Source Data Fig. 2 (download XLSX )

Experimental datasets supporting proposed synthesis mechanism, including CFD simulations, intermediate layer characterization, and reaction parameter records.

Source Data Fig. 3 (download XLSX )

Raw separation performance data, including permeance and selectivity measurements, pressure, temperature, and flow rate records for propylene/propane separation tests.

Source Data Fig. 4 (download XLSX )

Experimental datasets demonstrating scalability, including batch fabrication, uniformity assessments, and module performance records.

Source Data Fig. 5 (download XLSX )

Raw operational data from industrial side-stream separation tests, including feed composition, permeate and retentate composition, flow rates, pressure, temperature, and long-term stability measurements.

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Lian, H., Hua, J., Wang, Q. et al. Scalable large-area ZIF-8 membranes for industrial propylene/propane separations. Nat Chem Eng (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44286-026-00373-4

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