Abstract: Chemical Technology is a core course in chemical engineering and technology programs, however, its instruction has long emphasized process simulation at the expense of material innovation, making it difficult for students to connect process design with advances in functional materials. Guided by the concept of science-education integration, this study transforms an undergraduate thesis research outcome-the synthesis of a halogen-functionalized porous organic cage, Inner Mongolia University Porous Organic Cage-Cl (IMUPOC-Cl), and its performance in SO₂ adsorption and separation-into a comprehensive experimental design. Centered on the core process engineering question of adsorbent design and selection for flue gas desulfurization, the design comprises four progressive modules: material creation, structural elucidation, performance evaluation and process trade-off analysis. Through a halogen functionalization strategy, students enhance the material's SO₂ adsorption capacity, measure adsorption isotherms at different temperatures, calculate the adsorption enthalpy, compare the results with those of the non-functionalized material and with CO₂ adsorption behavior, and thereby assess the material’s hydrophobicity in relation to process conditions for high-humidity flue gas. Teaching practice shows that this case effectively bridges the cognitive gap between molecular design and process flowsheets and cultivates students’ ability to pursue process innovation from the functional materials perspective.

Key words: Chemical technology, Research-education integration, Porous organic cages, Sulfur dioxide adsorption, Regional air pollution