CO2 adsorption and CO2/CH4 separation using fibrous amine-containing adsorbents: isothermal, kinetic, and thermodynamic behaviours.

A series of fibrous aminated adsorbents for CO2 adsorption were prepared by covalent incorporation of poly (glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) by graft copolymerization of GMA onto electron beam (EB) irradiated polyethylenepolypropylene (PE/PP) fibrous sheets and subsequent amination with ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), or tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA). The physico-chemical properties of the adsorbents were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. All the adsorbents displayed typic primary and secondary amine features combined with a decrease in both of crystallinity and surface area of PE/PP, and such a decrease was higher in adsorbents with longer aliphatic chain of the amine. Of all adsorbents, TEPA-containing fibres showed the highest CO2 adsorption capacity and thus was further investigated for CO2 capture from CO2/CH4 mixtures of different gas ratios under various pressures and temperatures. The selectivity of CO2 over CH4 and equilibrium isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the adsorption on the fibrous aminated adsorbent were all investigated. The Sips model was found to best fit the isotherm of CO2 adsorption suggesting the presence of a combination of monolayer and multilayer adsorptions. The adsorption kinetic data was found to best fit Elovich model reflecting chemisorption. The ΔG°, ΔS°, and ΔH° showed positive values suggesting that the adsorption of CO2 on the present fibrous adsorbent was non-spontaneous with an increase in randomness implying that the process was endothermic. Overall, it can be suggested that PE/PP-g-PGMA/TEPA adsorbent has a strong potential for separation of CO2 from NG.

Selectivity of Copper by Amine-Based Ion Recognition Polymer Adsorbent with Different Aliphatic Amines.

This paper investigates the selectivity of GMA-based-non-woven fabrics adsorbent towards copper ion (Cu) functionalized with several aliphatic amines. The aliphatic amines used in this study were ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA). The non-woven polyethylene/polypropylene fabrics (NWF) were grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) via pre-radiation grafting technique, followed by chemical functionalization with the aliphatic amine. To prepare the ion recognition polymer (IRP), the functionalized amine GMA-grafted-NWF sample was subjected to radiation crosslinking process along with the crosslinking agent, divinylbenzene (DVB), in the presence of Cu ion as a template in the matrix of the adsorbent. Functionalization with different aliphatic amine was carried out at different amine concentrations, grafting yield, reaction temperature, and reaction time to study the effect of different aliphatic amine onto amine density yield. At a concentration of 50% of amine and 50% of isopropanol, EDA, DETA, TETA, and TEPA had attained amine density around 5.12, 4.06, 3.04, and 2.56 mmol/g-ad, respectively. The amine density yield decreases further as the aliphatic amine chain grows longer. The experimental condition for amine functionalization process was fixed at 70% amine, 30% isopropanol, 60 °C for grafting temperature, and 2 h of grafting time for attaining 100% of grafting yield (Dg). The prepared adsorbents were characterized comprehensively in terms of structural and morphology with multiple analytical tools. An adsorptive removal and selectivity of Cu ion by the prepared adsorbent was investigated in a binary metal ion system. The IRP samples with a functional precursor of EDA, the smallest aliphatic amine had given the higher adsorption capacity and selectivity towards Cu ion. The selectivity of IRP samples reduces as the aliphatic amine chain grows longer, EDA to TEPA. However, IRP samples still exhibited remarkably higher selectivity in comparison to the amine immobilized GMA-g-NWF at similar adsorption experimental conditions. This observation indicates that IRP samples possess higher selectivity after incorporation of the ion recognition imprint technique via the radiation crosslinking process.

Optimization and characterization of bio-oil produced by microwave assisted pyrolysis of oil palm shell waste biomass with microwave absorber.

In this study, solid oil palm shell (OPS) waste biomass was subjected to microwave pyrolysis conditions with uniformly distributed coconut activated carbon (CAC) microwave absorber. The effects of CAC loading (wt%), microwave power (W) and N2 flow rate (LPM) were investigated on heating profile, bio-oil yield and its composition. Response surface methodology based on central composite design was used to study the significance of process parameters on bio-oil yield. The coefficient of determination (R(2)) for the bio-oil yield is 0.89017 indicating 89.017% of data variability is accounted to the model. The largest effect on bio-oil yield is from linear and quadratic terms of N2 flow rate. The phenol content in bio-oil is 32.24-58.09% GC-MS area. The bio-oil also contain 1,1-dimethyl hydrazine of 10.54-21.20% GC-MS area. The presence of phenol and 1,1-dimethyl hydrazine implies that the microwave pyrolysis of OPS with carbon absorber has the potential to produce valuable fuel products.

Mathematical modeling of a single stage ultrasonically assisted distillation process.

The ability of sonication phenomena in facilitating separation of azeotropic mixtures presents a promising approach for the development of more intensified and efficient distillation systems than conventional ones. To expedite the much-needed development, a mathematical model of the system based on conservation principles, vapor-liquid equilibrium and sonochemistry was developed in this study. The model that was founded on a single stage vapor-liquid equilibrium system and enhanced with ultrasonic waves was coded using MATLAB simulator and validated with experimental data for ethanol-ethyl acetate mixture. The effects of both ultrasonic frequency and intensity on the relative volatility and azeotropic point were examined, and the optimal conditions were obtained using genetic algorithm. The experimental data validated the model with a reasonable accuracy. The results of this study revealed that the azeotropic point of the mixture can be totally eliminated with the right combination of sonication parameters and this can be utilized in facilitating design efforts towards establishing a workable ultrasonically intensified distillation system.