Reusable molecular fabric absorbs 97.9% of benzene in separation test

Researchers at UT Austin and Zhejiang University developed a reusable molecular fabric that absorbed 97.9% of the benzene from a mixture containing 50% benzene and 50% cyclohexane. The research, published in Nature, addresses chemicals whose similar boiling points make conventional distillation difficult and expensive. The material forms itself from interwoven molecular networks stacked in alternating orientations. Heating releases the absorbed benzene so the fabric can be reused; higher separation levels may require multiple passes. UT chemist Jonathan Sessler said the Zhejiang team also demonstrated its use at a larger, industrial scale. An economic analysis has not yet been performed.