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A Paradigm-Shifting Approach to Ethylene Purification and Separation Technologies

Project description

Sustainable one-step carbon ethylene purification

Producing high-purity ethylene currently requires energy-intensive processes to remove impurities such as acetylene and CO2. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MULTISORBED project will introduce a sustainable alternative: a one-step purification technology that uses porous carbon adsorbents derived from food waste. By combining hydrothermal carbonisation with advanced molecular simulations, MULTISORBED aims to develop microporous materials that are both eco-friendly and high-performing. The project will also focus on scaling up these layered adsorbent beds to ensure their viability for industrial applications. By combining green chemistry principles, materials innovation, technology and process intensification, the project aims to deliver a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to conventional technologies, providing a significant sustainable impact for the chemical and energy sectors.

Objective

MULTISORBED: A Paradigm-Shifting Approach to Ethylene Purification and Separation Technologies

The production of polymer-grade ethylene currently relies on energy-intensive processes such as catalytic hydrogenation, cryogenic distillation, and chemisorption, each targeting specific impurities like acetylene, propene, and CO2. While physisorbents offer a lower-energy alternative, achieving simultaneous removal of multiple impurities in a single step remains an unmet challenge. The MULTISORBED MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship proposes a novel, sustainable solution: a one-step ethylene purification technology using carbon adsorbents derived from food waste.
This project will deliver:

(1) Green synthesis of porous carbon materials: Development of high-surface-area, microporous, functional carbon adsorbents via hydrothermal carbonization and salt-templating of food waste.
(2) Multisorbent bed technology: Design and lab-scale testing of layered adsorbent beds for room-temperature ethylene purification.
(3)Molecular-level insight: Simulations to investigate how pore size, surface chemistry, and structure influence adsorption and selectivity.
(4) In-silico scale-up: Process modeling of the multisorbent bed system to assess feasibility for industrial ethylene streams.

By integrating green chemistry principles, materials innovation, technology and process intensification, MULTISORBED aims to deliver a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to conventional separation technologies — with broad implications for the chemical and energy sectors.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY
Net EU contribution
€ 276 187,92
Address
Stag Hill
GU2 7XH Guildford
United Kingdom
Region
South East (England) Surrey, East and West Sussex West Surrey
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost
No data