Zeolite-Based Sorbent for CO₂ Capture: Preparation and Performance Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Developing efficient sorbent materials is crucial for effective carbon capture.
• Zeolite-based materials offer tunable properties for gas adsorption.
• Utilizing agricultural waste like rice husk presents a sustainable approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize zeolite-based sorbents from gasified rice husk for CO2 capture.
• To investigate the impact of process parameters and material properties on CO2 adsorption capacity.
• To evaluate the performance of these novel sorbents in multiple adsorption-desorption cycles.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of zeolite-based sorbents from gasified rice husk.
• Characterization of physicochemical properties (thermal stability, pore structure, composition).
• CO2 capture experiments using a fixed-bed reactor with simulated flue gas at varying temperatures and pressures.
• Impregnation with tetra-ethylenepentamine to enhance CO2 adsorption.

Main Results:

• Zeolite-Y (Z-Y-3, Si/Al ratio 2.25) exhibited maximum CO2 adsorption capacity (114 mg/g at 1 bar, 190 mg/g at 5 bar) at 30 °C.
• CO2 adsorption capacity decreased with increasing temperature and amine loading.
• Alkali metal ions were found to influence the adsorption capacity.
• The developed sorbents demonstrated stability over multiple adsorption-desorption cycles.

Conclusions:

• Zeolite-based sorbents derived from rice husk are efficient for CO2 capture.
• The material shows promise for industrial applications in carbon capture technologies.
• The sorbents maintain high performance over multiple cycles, indicating durability.