Regenerable immobilized aminosilane sorbents for carbon dioxide capture applications

• US 8,834,822 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America), Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: US Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America), Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Jones, Christopher W., Gay, McMahan, Choi, Sunho
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverman, Stanley
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/212,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 423/228
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/204 Amines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0283 Flue gases
• 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 53/0462 Temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/047 Pressure swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/82 with stationary reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3204 Inorganic carriers, supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3236 containing metal, other than zeolites, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, sulphides or salts
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3257 the functional group or the linking, spacer or anchoring group as a whole comprising at least one of the heteroatoms nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur together with at least one silicon atom, these atoms not being part of the carrier as such
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3272 Polymers obtained by reactions otherwise than involving only carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3285 Coating or impregnation layers comprising different type of functional groups or interactions, e.g. different ligands in various parts of the sorbent, mixed mode, dual zone, bimodal, multimodal, ionic or hydrophobic, cationic or anionic, hydrophilic or hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3425 of sorbents or filter aids comprising organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3491 by pressure treatment
• 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 method for the separation of carbon dioxide from ambient air and flue gases is provided wherein a phase separating moiety with a second moiety are simultaneously coupled and bonded onto an inert substrate to create a mixture which is subsequently contacted with flue gases or ambient air. The phase-separating moiety is an amine whereas the second moiety is an aminosilane, or a Group 4 propoxide such as titanium (IV) propoxide (tetrapropyl orthotitanate, C₁₂H₂₈O₄Ti). The second moiety makes the phase-separating moiety insoluble in the pores of the inert substrate. The new sorbents have a high carbon dioxide loading capacity and considerable stability over hundreds of cycles. The synthesis method is readily scalable for commercial and industrial production.

Claims

1. A method for the separation of carbon dioxide from fluid, the method comprising:

(a) simultaneously coupling a phase-separating polymeric amine moiety with a stabilizing moiety and bonding them onto an inert substrate in a single step to create a mixture; and

(b) contacting the mixture with the fluid to remove carbon dioxide.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the phase-separating moiety polymeric amine is selected from the group consisting of linear primary amines, linear secondary amines, linear tertiary amines, branched primary amines, branched secondary amines, branched tertiary amines and any combination thereof.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing moiety is a compound selected from the group consisting of organoalkoyoxysilanes, titanium (IV) propoxide, zirconium (IV) propoxide, and hafnium (IV) propoxide.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the stabilizing moiety causes the phase-separating moiety to be water-insoluble in the pores of the inert substrate.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the bonding is both chemical and physical.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the fluid is derived from point sources or ambient atmospheres.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the fluid contains a partial pressure of CO₂ from about 0 atmosphere (atm) to 1 atm.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the CO₂ reacts with the phase-separating moiety.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the coupled phase-separating moiety is regenerated by pressure swinging.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the temperature range for operation is from about ambient temperature to about 100°

C.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the range of the total pressure for operation is from of about 1 atm to 40 atm.