Utilizing silica fume and synthetically produced mesoporous silicas for simulated flue gas CO 2 adsorption

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is crucial in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Solid adsorbents, notable for their reusability and corrosion resistance, are gaining attention in CO2 gas separation. This study uses Silica fume as an adsorbent and silica source for SiO2 and MCM-41 silica-based adsorbents. Silica was extracted via an alkaline dissolution method, and adsorbents were synthesized using a CO2-induced precipitation method, chosen for its shorter synthesis time and CO2 utilization. The effects of pore volume, average pore diameter, and specific surface area on amine loading and CO2 adsorption capacity were investigated using CTAB surfactant in SiO2 synthesis, resulting in MCM-41. The synthesized adsorbents were modified with TEPA and DEA amines due to their high affinity for CO2. After determining optimal amine loading, the impact of combining TEPA with DEA was examined. The highest CO2 adsorption capacity under simulated flue gas conditions (15% volume CO2 and 85% volume N2) was 198 milligrams per gram of adsorbent for the SiO2 adsorbent functionalized with 50% by weight amine (28% TEPA and 22% DEA). Variations in CO2 adsorption over time, the influence of adsorbent quantity on adsorption capacity, the affinity of the adsorbent for N2 adsorption, and the adsorption-desorption cycle were investigated. The 28%TEPA-22%DEA-SiO2 adsorbent emerged as the optimal choice due to its large total volume and average pore diameter, absence of a template in its structure, excellent performance in CO2 adsorption, lack of affinity for N2, and robust adsorption-desorption stability.