Advances in porous adsorbents for perfluorocarbon greenhouse gas sorption and separation

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) such as CF₄, C₂F_6, and C₃F₈, are extensively used in the microelectronics and semiconductor industries, yet their global warming potentials—thousands of times greater than that of CO₂—underscore the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies. While converting PFCs into non-PFCs offers a method for their destruction, a more sustainable approach lies in the recovery and recycling of these compounds using advanced adsorbents. This review explores the potential of cutting-edge porous materials, including metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent-organic frameworks (COFs), and porous organic cages (POCs), for the adsorption and separation of PFCs. By precisely tuning pore sizes and chemical environments through modifications of metal ions and ligands, these porous adsorbents can be tailored to exhibit specific adsorption and separation capabilities. The review focuses on the selective separation of PFCs from nitrogen and other fluorinated gases, with particular emphasis on the latest advancements in adsorbents designed to differentiate between PFCs and other fluorinated compounds in the presence of nitrogen.