Separation of nitrogen from hydrocarbon gas using pyrolyzed sulfonated macroporous ion exchange resin

A method for separating N2 from a hydrocarbon gas mixture containing N2 comprising the steps of: i) providing a bed of adsorbent selective for N2; (ii) passing the hydrocarbon gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent to at least partially remove N2 from the gas mixture to produce: (a) N2-loaded adsorbent and (b) N2-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iii) recovering the N2-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iv) regenerating the N2-loaded adsorbent by at least partially removing N2 from the adsorbent; and v) sequentially repeating steps (ii) and (iii) using regenerated adsorbent from step (iv); wherein the adsorbent comprises a pyrolized sulfonated macroporous ion exchange resin.