Polyethylenimine-incorporated zeolite 13X with mesoporosity for post-combustion CO2 capture

Abstract

X-type zeolite with mesoporosity (Meso-13X) was prepared by using dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride as a mesopore-generating agent, and then modified with polyethylenimine (PEI) through a physical impregnation method to form a hybrid material (Meso-13X-PEI). Meso-13X with and without PEI was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm at 77K, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Meso-13X-PEI exhibited higher CO2 capture capacity than PEI-modified zeolite 13X owing to its larger pore volume that accommodates more amine species inside the pore structure, and the mesoporosity also can facilitate dispersion of PEI molecules inside the pore channels. Compared to zeolite 13X, Meso-13X-PEI showed much higher CO2 capture selectivity (against N2) as well as higher CO2 capture capacity at relatively high temperature (e.g. 100°C) and dilute CO2 concentration relevant to post-combustion conditions.