Pore Size Effects on the Sorption of Supercritical CO2 in Mesoporous CPG-10 Silica

Abstract

Excess sorption isotherms of supercritical carbon dioxide in mesoporous CPG-10 silica glasses with nominal pore sizes of 7.5 and 35 nm were measured gravimetrically at 35 and 50 °C and pressures of 0–200 bar. Formation of broad maxima in the excess sorption was observed at fluid densities below the bulk critical density. Positive values of excess sorption were measured at bulk densities below 0.7 g/cm3, i.e., the interfacial fluid is denser than the bulk fluid at low pressures. Zero and negative values were obtained at higher densities, i.e., the adsorbed fluid becomes equal to and eventually less dense than the corresponding bulk fluid. Pronounced confinement effects on sorption behavior have been found and further analyzed by normalizing the excess sorption to the adsorbent surface area and pore volume, yielding new insight into supercritical fluid adsorption in this range of pore sizes and P, T conditions. If normalized to the specific surface area, the excess sorption is higher for the 35 nm pore size material, but the pore volume normalized excess sorption is higher for the 7.5 nm pore size material. With increasing pore width, the excess sorption peak position shifts to higher pressure. Both CPG-10 materials exhibit regions of constant mean pore fluid density as a function of bulk CO2 density at 35 °C but not at 50 °C. This region is located between the excess sorption peak maximum and the adsorption/depletion transition point. Applied to the situation of CO2 sequestration in dry sandstone formations, the results of this study indicate that carbon storage capacity is enhanced by sorption effects, particularly at low temperature and in narrow pores with high surface to volume ratios.