Abstract: An adsorbent for selective adsorption of unsaturated hydrocarbons from its mixture with saturated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, permanent gases or mixture thereof. The adsorbent includes a silver or copper compound in an amount of 1 to 70 wt % and a substrate in 30 to 99% wt %. Also a method for the manufacture of an adsorbent, which includes impregnating or dispersing a silver (I) or copper (I) compound on a mesoporous substrate or support to form a composite material and subjecting the composite material to heat treatment. Also, a process for separating ethylene and/or propylene from gas mixtures containing them by passing a stream of the gas mixture through a mass of the adsorbent at a temperature from 0° C. to 170° C. and a pressure from 0.1 to 100 atmospheres and releasing the adsorbed ethylene and/or propylene by lowering pressure and/or increasing temperature.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an adsorbent for selective adsorption of unsaturated hydrocarbons from its mixture with saturated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, permanent gases or mixture thereof comprising of silver or copper compound 1 to 70 wt % and substrate 30 to 99%. The invention also discloses a method for the manufacture of an adsorbent for use in selective adsorption of unsaturated hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof from a mixed gas, which comprises impregnating or dispersing a silver (I) or copper (I) compound on a mesoporous substrate or support to form a composite material and subjecting said composite material to heat treatment. In another important aspect, the present invention also relates to a process for separating ethylene and/or propylene from gas mixtures containing them by passing a stream of said gas mixture through a mass of said adsorbent at a temperature from 0° C. to 170° C. and a pressure from 0.