# NSF TTP-T: Overcoming the Limitations of Distillation through Electro-Swing Separation of Olefins

> **NSF 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · University of California-Irvine (CA) · $1,200,000

## Abstract

This project is funded through the NSF Translation to Practice (TTP) program, which supports efforts to translate research discoveries into practical tools that benefit communities, industry, and society. Many everyday products, from plastic bottles and packaging to car parts and clothing, are made from chemicals called olefins. These important building blocks of modern industry must be separated and purified before they can be used. Today, this is primarily done using a method called distillation, which requires expensive equipment and is energy intensive. Additionally, smaller amounts of valuable olefins simply cannot be separated economically, so they are burned off as waste, resulting in over $100 million in lost value every year. The researchers are pioneering a new, low-energy method to separate these chemicals using electricity instead of heat, called "electro-swing" separation. During this TTP-T project, the research team is collaborating with a large chemical company to build and test a working prototype of this process. This technology could save the chemical industry millions of dollars, reduce waste, and lower costs for consumers of products made from olefins.  

This project develops an electrochemically driven reactive absorption process for separating olefins from paraffins and difficult olefin/olefin mixtures - applications where conventional distillation is either uneconomical or technically impractical due to extremely close boiling points. The core innova

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2552818
- **Awardee organization:** University of California-Irvine (CA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MJC5FCYQTPE6
- **PI:** Jenny Y Yang
- **Primary program:** 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** —
- **Estimated total:** $1,200,000
- **Funds obligated:** $1,200,000
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 07/01/2026 → 06/30/2029

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2552818

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2552818, NSF TTP-T: Overcoming the Limitations of Distillation through Electro-Swing Separation of Olefins. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-06 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2552818. Licensed CC0.

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