Thesis

Synthesis, characterisation and optimisation of novel adsorbents for CO₂ capture

Creator
Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2015
Thesis identifier
  • T13987
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201252227
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • In this study, a suite of novel CO₂ capture sorbents were prepared employing three facile synthetic routes: amine assimilation (co-synthesis), wet impregnation and in situ-impregnation synthesis, to develop a range of materials capable of efficiently adsorbing CO₂ while demonstrating their applicability as alternative materials for CO₂ capture from coal and gas fired power plants via post-combustion carbon capture. Prepared sorbents were characterised for individual physical and chemical properties, using, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analyses and N₂ sorption at 77 K. CO₂capture capacities were determined using gravimetric analysis under a range of analysis conditions (different temperature and pressure), with the corresponding effects of materials characteristics on CO₂ capacities investigated. The effect of amine incorporation was explored in detail, with findings first bench-marked against the corresponding amine free counterparts, and, then, the effect of increasing amine content analysed. So far, within the context of this study, results suggest that materials prepared via the synthetic routes adopted, exhibit high degrees of synthetic control; in addition, CO₂ capture capacities were determined to be dependent upon both textural properties but, more importantly, the basic nitrogen functionalities contained within these materials. This observation was prominent with amine in-situ impregnated silica and melamine resorcinol formaldehyde samples, but not wholly for bio-inspired amine silica samples, as the degree of amine functionalisation could not be controlled by the synthetic route chosen. Irrespective, all materials have shown enhanced adsorption performance as a result of the incorporation of basic nitrogen functionalities into the sorbent structures. Furthermore, prepared materials exhibited easy regeneration and maintained stable sorption capacities ≤ 99.9% over the cycles analysed, with results obtained suggesting new strategies for carbon capture materials development for efficient CO₂ capture from power plant flue gas and other relevant applications.
Resource Type
DOI
Date Created
  • 2015
Former identifier
  • 1219006

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