Amine-functionalized low-cost industrial grade multi-walled carbon nanotubes for the capture of carbon dioxide

Abstract

Industrial grade multi-walled carbon nanotubes (IG-MWCNTs) are a low-cost substitute for commercially purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (P-MWCNTs). In this work, IG-MWCNTs were functionalized with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) for CO2 capture. The TEPA impregnated IG-MWCNTs were characterized with various experimental methods including N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Both the adsorption isotherms of IG-MWCNTs-n and the isosteric heats of different adsorption capacities were obtained from experiments. TEPA impregnated IG-MWCNTs were also shown to have high CO2 adsorption capacity comparable to that of TEPA impregnated P-MWCNTs. The adsorption capacity of IG-MWCNTs based adsorbents was in the range of 2.145 to 3.088 mmol/g, depending on adsorption temperatures. Having the advantages of low-cost and high adsorption capacity, TEPA impregnated IG-MWCNTs seem to be a promising adsorbent for CO2 capture from flue gas.