Separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons utilizing zeolitic imidazolate framework materials

A process for separating H2 from a process feedstream, comprising:

• a) contacting an adsorbent material comprised of a zeolitic imidazolate framework material with a process feedstream comprising H2 and at least one hydrocarbon compound at a first pressure and first temperature;
• b) adsorbing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon compound in the adsorbent material, thereby producing a H2-rich product stream
• wherein the H2-rich product stream has a higher concentration of H2 by mol % than the process feedstream;
• and c) producing a H2-lean product stream at a second pressure and second temperature, wherein the H2-lean product stream has a lower concentration of H2 by mol % than the process feedstream;
• wherein the zeolitic imidazolate framework material has a framework structure wherein each vertex of the framework structure is comprised of a single metal ion and each pair of connected adjacent vertices of the framework structure is linked by nitrogen atoms of an imidazolate anion or its derivative, and wherein the zeolitic imidazolate framework material has an adsorptive loading ratio for the hydrocarbon compound over H2 of at least 5.