AIR COLLECTOR WITH FUNCTIONALIZED ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE FOR CAPTURING AMBIENT CO2

• US 20090130321A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Sink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Ping
• Granted Patent: US 8,262,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/389.900
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/206 Ion exchange resins
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/005 Processes for mixing polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/28 by elimination of a liquid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. drying of coagulum
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for forming a CO₂ capture element comprises providing a mixture of a monomer or monomer blend or a polymer binder, a miscible liquid carrier for the binder and a CO₂ sorbent or getter in particle form, forming the mixture into a wet film or membrane, evaporating the liquid carrier to form a film or membrane, and treating the wet film or membrane to form pores in the body of the film or membrane. Also disclosed is a process of forming a CO₂ capture element which comprises the steps of applying a mixture including a sorbent material and a polymer to an underlying material; polymerizing the mixture in place on the material; and aminating the polymer-coated material.

Claims

1. A process for forming a CO₂ capture element comprising:

providing a mixture of a monomer or monomer blend or a polymer binder, a miscible liquid carrier for the binder and a CO₂ sorbent or getter in particle form;

forming the mixture into a wet film or membrane;

evaporating the liquid carrier at least in part to form a film or membrane; and

treating the film or membrane to form pores in the body of the film or membrane.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the miscible liquid carrier comprises a monomer or polymer solvent that is miscible in water.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein treating the film or membrane to form pores in the body of the film or membrane comprises immersing the film or membrane before gelling into deionized water long enough to remove residual miscible liquid carrier.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the monomer or monomer blend or polymer binder is selected from the group consisting of polybisphenol-A-carbonate, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, polysulfone, poly(vinylidene fluoride), styrene/butyl acrylate/methacrylic acid terpolymer, and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), and mixtures thereof.

5. The process of claim 2, wherein the miscible liquid carrier comprises dimethylformamide.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the CO₂ sorbent or getter particles comprise from about 10 to about 90 volume % of the film or membrane.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the CO₂ sorbent or getter comprises an ion-exchange resin.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the ion-exchange resin comprises a Type 1 or Type 2 ion-exchange resin.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein the resin particles comprise about 20 to about 80 volume % of the cast film.

10. The process of claim 7, wherein the resin particles comprise about 30 to about 70 volume % of the cast film.

11. The process of claim 7, wherein the resin is ground or chopped to a particle size of about 100 to about 1000 microns prior to mixing with the polymer binder.

12. The process of claim 7, wherein the resin is ground or chopped to a particle size of about 200 to about 500 microns.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the finished film has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 2.0 mm.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein the finished film has a thickness of about 0.2 to about 1.0 mm.

15. A process of forming a CO₂ capture element which comprises the steps of:

applying a mixture including a sorbent material and a polymer to an underlying material;

polymerizing the mixture in place on the material; and

aminating the polymer-coated material.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the underlying material is a textile material.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the underlying material comprises a monolithic structure.

18. A process of forming a CO₂ capture element which comprises polymerizing a mixture of sorbent and polymer materials around a fibrous structure.

19. A method for formation of a CO₂ capture element comprising forming a mixture of a solid CO₂ sorbent or getter in a particulate form and a monomer or monomer blend or a polymer dissolved in a liquid carrier, casting the mixture onto a surface, and

removing the liquid carrier at least in part to form a support matrix carrying particles of the solid CO₂ sorbent or getter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid carrier is removed by heating.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the monomer or monomer blend or the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polybisphenol-A-carbonate, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, polysulfone, poly(vinylidene fluoride), styrene/butyl acrylate/methacrylic acid terpolymer, and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene).

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid carrier comprises dimethylformamide.

23. The method of claim 19, including the step of adding glycerin or phenolphthalene to the mixture.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the CO₂ sorbent or getter particles comprise 10-90 volume % of the cast sheet or film.

25. The process of claim 19, wherein the CO₂ sorbent or getter is ground or chopped to a particle size of 100-1000 microns prior to mixing with the monomer or monomer blend or polymer.

26. The process of claim 19, wherein the finished sheet has a thickness of 0.1-2.0 mm.

27. The process of claim 19, wherein the CO₂ sorbent or getter comprises an ion exchange resin.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein the ion exchange comprises a Type 1 or Type 2 ion exchange resin.

29. A process for forming a CO₂ capture element which comprises coating a support sheet at least in part with an amine.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein the support sheet is porous.

31. The process of claim 31, wherein amine is dispersed from a liquid carrier, and dried in place on the support sheet.