Carbon dioxide capture under postcombustion conditions using amine-functionalized SBA-15: Kinetics and multicyclic performance

ABSTRACTIn this work, ordered mesoporous SBA-15 was synthesized and functionalized by polyethyleneimine (PEI). The morphological properties were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption, field–emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high–resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy methods. The carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake on the sorbents, kinetics of CO2 adsorption/desorption and long-term multicycle stability of PEI-impregnated sorbent were measured. An optimal amine loading of 50 wt.% showed a CO2 adsorption capacity ~3.09 mmol g−1 using 10% pre-humidified CO2 at 75°C. The presence of moisture in flue gas showed a promoting effect in CO2 sorption capacity. The temperature swing adsorption/desorption cycles showed excellent multicycle stability over 60 cycles during 65 h of operations under humid CO2.