Air collector with functionalized ion exchange membrane for capturing ambient CO 2

• US 8,262,774 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Sink, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kilimanjaro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Liu, Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Webb, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US12/274,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20090130321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 95/92, 951/39, 951/43
• US Class Current: 95/139
• 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 method for the capture of CO₂ from air, comprising capturing CO₂ from atmospheric air with a solid capture material, and treating said solid capture material to release captured CO₂;

wherein said solid capture material (i) comprises a CO₂ sorbent material comprising a polymer immobilized in or on a porous support material; and

(ii) has a CO₂ adsorption capacity higher than 1.9 mmol/g.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said solid capture material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of:

polybisphenol-A-carbonate, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl chloride), polytetrafluoroethylene, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, poly(vinylidene fluoride), styrene/butyl acrylate/methacrylic acid terpolymer, and poly(vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said solid capture material is formed using a CO₂ sorbent comprising particles having a diameter between 10-1000 micrometers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CO₂ sorbent material content of said solid capture material is 20% to 80% by weight.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing CO₂ captured by said solid capture material by hydrating said solid capture material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said solid capture material releases CO₂ when hydrated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said CO₂ sorbent material comprises an ion exchange resin.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said ion exchange resin comprises a Type I or Type II functionality ion exchange resin.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said CO₂ sorbent material comprises polysulfone, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), or vinyl benzyl chloride.