Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO2 from C2H2 using an amine-functionalized adsorbent

Jin Sheng Zou; Zhi Peng Wang; Yassin H. Andaloussi; Jiapeng Xue; Wanli Zhang; Bryan E.G. Lucier; Zeyang Zhang; Yanan Jia; Xue Cui Wu; Jiahan Li; Yining Huang; Michael J. Zaworotko; Guangjin Chen; Shoushun Chen; Yun Lei Peng

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57972-7

Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO₂ from C₂H₂ using an amine-functionalized adsorbent

Jin Sheng Zou
, Zhi Peng Wang
, Yassin H. Andaloussi
, Jiapeng Xue
, Wanli Zhang
, Bryan E.G. Lucier
, Zeyang Zhang
, Yanan Jia
, Xue Cui Wu
, Jiahan Li
, Yining Huang
, Michael J. Zaworotko
, Guangjin Chen
, Shoushun Chen
, Yun Lei Peng

Department of Chemical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Purifying C₂H₂ by removing trace CO₂ is critically needed yet challenged by their analogous physical properties. Herein, we report a commercial resin adsorbent HP20 (Diaion® HP-20 Resin) loaded with polyethyleneimine (PEI@HP20) which selectively captures trace CO₂ and excludes C₂H₂. PEI@HP20 possesses a high CO₂ adsorption capacity (4.35 mmol/g) at 100 kPa and 298 K and a record CO₂/C₂H₂ uptake ratio compared with all reported CO₂-selective adsorbents. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity reaches 1.33×10⁷. The pilot-scale pressure-temperature swing adsorption on 2 kg PEI@HP20 further validated that it can obtain >99.99% purity C₂H₂ from CO₂/C₂H₂(1/99, v/v) mixtures with a high yield of 344.7 g per cycle. The combination of multinuclear solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the performance of PEI@HP20 relies on a dual chemisorption/physisorption mechanism. This work highlights a promising method to develop green, low cost, high efficiency, and readily scalable CO₂-selective adsorbent.

Original language	English
Article number	2598
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57972-7
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

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Zou, J. S., Wang, Z. P., Andaloussi, Y. H., Xue, J., Zhang, W., Lucier, B. E. G., Zhang, Z., Jia, Y., Wu, X. C., Li, J., Huang, Y., Zaworotko, M. J., Chen, G., Chen, S., & Peng, Y. L. (2025). Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO₂ from C₂H₂ using an amine-functionalized adsorbent. Nature Communications, 16(1), Article 2598. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57972-7

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title = "Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO2 from C2H2 using an amine-functionalized adsorbent",

abstract = "Purifying C2H2 by removing trace CO2 is critically needed yet challenged by their analogous physical properties. Herein, we report a commercial resin adsorbent HP20 (Diaion{\textregistered} HP-20 Resin) loaded with polyethyleneimine (PEI@HP20) which selectively captures trace CO2 and excludes C2H2. PEI@HP20 possesses a high CO2 adsorption capacity (4.35 mmol/g) at 100 kPa and 298 K and a record CO2/C2H2 uptake ratio compared with all reported CO2-selective adsorbents. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity reaches 1.33×107. The pilot-scale pressure-temperature swing adsorption on 2 kg PEI@HP20 further validated that it can obtain >99.99\% purity C2H2 from CO2/C2H2(1/99, v/v) mixtures with a high yield of 344.7 g per cycle. The combination of multinuclear solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the performance of PEI@HP20 relies on a dual chemisorption/physisorption mechanism. This work highlights a promising method to develop green, low cost, high efficiency, and readily scalable CO2-selective adsorbent.",

author = "Zou, \{Jin Sheng\} and Wang, \{Zhi Peng\} and Andaloussi, \{Yassin H.\} and Jiapeng Xue and Wanli Zhang and Lucier, \{Bryan E.G.\} and Zeyang Zhang and Yanan Jia and Wu, \{Xue Cui\} and Jiahan Li and Yining Huang and Zaworotko, \{Michael J.\} and Guangjin Chen and Shoushun Chen and Peng, \{Yun Lei\}",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-57972-7",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

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T1 - Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO2 from C2H2 using an amine-functionalized adsorbent

AU - Zou, Jin Sheng

AU - Wang, Zhi Peng

AU - Andaloussi, Yassin H.

AU - Xue, Jiapeng

AU - Zhang, Wanli

AU - Lucier, Bryan E.G.

AU - Zhang, Zeyang

AU - Jia, Yanan

AU - Wu, Xue Cui

AU - Li, Jiahan

AU - Huang, Yining

AU - Zaworotko, Michael J.

AU - Chen, Guangjin

AU - Chen, Shoushun

AU - Peng, Yun Lei

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Purifying C2H2 by removing trace CO2 is critically needed yet challenged by their analogous physical properties. Herein, we report a commercial resin adsorbent HP20 (Diaion® HP-20 Resin) loaded with polyethyleneimine (PEI@HP20) which selectively captures trace CO2 and excludes C2H2. PEI@HP20 possesses a high CO2 adsorption capacity (4.35 mmol/g) at 100 kPa and 298 K and a record CO2/C2H2 uptake ratio compared with all reported CO2-selective adsorbents. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity reaches 1.33×107. The pilot-scale pressure-temperature swing adsorption on 2 kg PEI@HP20 further validated that it can obtain >99.99% purity C2H2 from CO2/C2H2(1/99, v/v) mixtures with a high yield of 344.7 g per cycle. The combination of multinuclear solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the performance of PEI@HP20 relies on a dual chemisorption/physisorption mechanism. This work highlights a promising method to develop green, low cost, high efficiency, and readily scalable CO2-selective adsorbent.

AB - Purifying C2H2 by removing trace CO2 is critically needed yet challenged by their analogous physical properties. Herein, we report a commercial resin adsorbent HP20 (Diaion® HP-20 Resin) loaded with polyethyleneimine (PEI@HP20) which selectively captures trace CO2 and excludes C2H2. PEI@HP20 possesses a high CO2 adsorption capacity (4.35 mmol/g) at 100 kPa and 298 K and a record CO2/C2H2 uptake ratio compared with all reported CO2-selective adsorbents. The ideal adsorbed solution theory selectivity reaches 1.33×107. The pilot-scale pressure-temperature swing adsorption on 2 kg PEI@HP20 further validated that it can obtain >99.99% purity C2H2 from CO2/C2H2(1/99, v/v) mixtures with a high yield of 344.7 g per cycle. The combination of multinuclear solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations reveal that the performance of PEI@HP20 relies on a dual chemisorption/physisorption mechanism. This work highlights a promising method to develop green, low cost, high efficiency, and readily scalable CO2-selective adsorbent.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105000145103

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DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-57972-7

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Benchmarking selective capture of trace CO₂ from C₂H₂ using an amine-functionalized adsorbent

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