Carbon molecular sieves and a process for their preparation and use

• US 4,629,476 A
• Filed: 03/07/1985
• Issued: 12/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Calgon Carbon Corporation (Kuraray Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Calgon Carbon Corporation (Kuraray Company Limited)
• Inventors: Sutt, Robert F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SPITZER, ROBERT H
• Application Number:
  US06/709,265
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 55/68, 55/74, 55/75, 55/387, 55/389
• US Class Current: 95/138
• 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: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/261 obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/262 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds, e.g. obtained by polycondensation macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds per se C08G
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/264 derived from different types of monomers, e.g. linear or branched copolymers, block copolymers, graft copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28078 Pore diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3028 Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3078 Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/327 Polymers obtained by reactions involving only carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3272 Polymers obtained by reactions otherwise than involving only carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3276 Copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/4812 the starting material being of organic character
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/485 Plants or land vegetals, e.g. cereals, wheat, corn, rice, sphagnum, peat moss
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 95/903 Carbon

Abstract

A process for separating mixtures containing components of at least two different molecular diameters, molecular weights or molecular shapes by passage of such mixture through a carbonaceous molecular sieve substrate which is selected from carbon sieves, calcined char and calcined agglomerated char such as coconut, peach pits, walnut shells, babassu nut shells and cherry pits, oxidized and devolatized agglomerated coal and calcined agglomerated coal impregnated with an organic polymer having a molecular weight of at least 400 or an inorganic polymer.

Claims

1. A process for separating gas mixtures containing components of at least two different molecular diameters, molecular weights or molecular shapes, comprising passing gas through a molecular sieve comprising a carbonaceous substrate selected from the group consisting of molecular sieve carbon;

calcined char and calcined agglomerated char selected from the group consisting of coconut, peach pits, walnut shells, babassu nut shells, and cherry pits;

oxidized and devolatilized agglomerated coal; and

calcined agglomerated coal;

impregnated with an organic polymer having a molecular weight of at least 400, as determined by vapor phase osmometry, or with an inorganic polymer at a dosage of at least 0.001 weight percent (based on the substrate weight) up to a maximum dosage which still allows the resulting sieve to separate gas mixtures containing components of at least two different molecular diameters, molecular weights or molecular shapes.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous substrate is a molecular sieve carbon.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous substrate is calcined char selected from the group consisting of coconut shells, peach pits, walnut shells, babassu nut shells and cherry pits.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous substrate is calcined agglomerated char selected from the group consisting of coconut shells, peach pits, walnut shells, babassu nut shells and cherry pits.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous substrate is oxidized and devolatilized agglomerated coal.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein said carbonaceous substrate is calcined agglomerated coal.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is oxygen and nitrogen.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is carbon dioxide and methane.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is ethylene and ethane.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is methane and ethane.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is carbon dioxide and ethane.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is propylene and propane.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is methane and butane.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is carbon dioxide and ethylene.