Boosting kinetic separation of ethylene and ethane on microporous materials via crystal size control

• Controlling crystal size of ZnAtzPO4 significantly enhances kinetic separation of ethylene/ethane, boosting selectivity from 1.3 to 98.5. • Synthesis parameters (temperature, concentration, molar ratio) allow precise tuning of crystal size, offering a scalable strategy for adsorbent optimization. • The study provides a new design principle for microporous materials: morphology control to amplify diffusion differences for challenging gas separations. • This approach offers an energy-efficient alternative to cryogenic distillation for olefin/paraffin separation, contributing to carbon neutralization goals.