Olefin/paraffin separation by cryogenic distillation is one of the most energy-consuming processes not only among the entire chemical processes but also among all the energy-consuming activities by human beings. The purification of propylene and ethylene accounts for 0.3% of global energy use (1). Membrane separation is an attractive alternative, owing to its high energy-efficiency compared to conventional distillation processes. Liquid membranes that utilize gas transport through the liquid phase confined in the pore structures have shown promising performance due to the faster transport compared to solid membrane materials (2).
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