Amine enriched solid sorbents for carbon dioxide capture

• US 6,547,854 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Champagne, Kenneth J., Gray, McMahan L., Soong, Yee
• Primary Examiner(s): Simmons, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US09/966,570
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 95/90, 951/39, 951/48, 952/85, 423/220, 423/228, 423/229, 423/230, 502/64, 502/407, 502/408, 502/411, 502/416, 502/85, 502/439
• US Class Current: 95/139
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/20 Organic adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• 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: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/22 comprising organic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3248 the functional group or the linking, spacer or anchoring group as a whole comprising at least one type of heteroatom selected from a nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, these atoms not being part of the carrier as such
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3251 comprising at least two different types of heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3253 comprising a cyclic structure not containing any of the heteroatoms nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, e.g. aromatic structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2

Abstract

A new method for making low-cost CO₂ sorbents that can be used in large-scale gas-solid processes. The new method entails treating a solid substrate with acid or base and simultaneous or subsequent treatment with a substituted amine salt. The method eliminates the need for organic solvents and polymeric materials for the preparation of CO₂ capture systems.

Claims

1. A method for producing an amine-enriched sorbent which comprises:

(a) treating an oxidized surface with base, and;

(b) contacting the treated surface with a substituted amine hydrogen halide, wherein the substituted amine contains one or more moieties selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, allyl, vinyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, naphtyl, and combinations thereof.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the amine is a primary amine, or a secondary amine, or a tertiary amine, or an aromatic amine, or a cyclic amine.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the amine hydrogen halide moieties contain halide selected from the group consisting of mono, di, tri, tetra, penta, hexa, hepta, octo, nona, deca, undeca, and combinations thereof.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein steps a and b are conducted at temperatures between 25°

C. to 100°

C.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of treating the surface with a base comprises contacting the surface with a metal hydroxide.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the metal is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the metal is an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the surface has a surface area of between approximately 300 m²/gram and 600 m²/gram.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the amine moiety bonds to the surface as an oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of an amine ester, an amine ether, and combinations thereof.

10. A method for removing carbon dioxide from a fluid, the method comprising contacting the fluid with an amine-enriched sorbent as recited in claim 1.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the sorbent adsorbs CO₂ at a temperature of between 20°

C. and 80°

C.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the sorbent is regenerated in situ at temperatures ranging from 80°

C. to 120°

C.

13. A process for producing an amine-enriched sorbent which comprises treating a surface with a substituted amine hydrogen halide in the presence of a catalyst, where the catalyst is an acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, sulfuric acid, perchloric acid, and nitric acid and having a concentration of between 0.1 M and 5.0 M.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the surface has a surface area of between approximately 300 m²/gram and 600 m²/gram.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the sorbent is produced at a temperature selected from between 25°

C. and 80°

C.