Synthesis and characterization of adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture

Abstract

The adsorption process is considered as one of the sustainable and economical decarbonizing techniques to capture and reduce CO2 from anthropogenic sources as well as from air. However, to make the adsorption process more competitive and conquering, special care needs to be given to adsorbent synthesis and its modification. The selection of suitable adsorbent and its bulk synthesis is highly essential for CO2 capture, particularly at conditions relevant to flue gas generated from thermal industries. The high CO2 adsorption capacity, superior CO2/N2 selectivity, high adsorption kinetics, low parasitic energy, and prolonged thermo-chemical stabilities are some of the essential features that need to be considered during the design of any new adsorbent. In this context, the current thesis has focused on the synthesis and modification of various micro and mesoporous adsorbents, including zeolites (amine-modified zeolite 4A, and hierarchical zeolite 4A) and metal-organic frameworks (MIL-101(Cr), RHA-MIL-101(Cr) and MIL-53(Al)) and successfully utilized them for post-combustion CO2 capture. Some of the important findings are given below. Amine modification of commercial binder-containing zeolite 4A bodies is performed using wet-impregnation techniques.