Structural Changes of Silica Mesocellular Foam Supported Amine-Functionalized CO2 Adsorbents Upon Exposure to Steam

Three classes of amine-functionalized mesocellular foam (MCF) materials are prepared and evaluated as CO2 adsorbents. The stability of the adsorbents under steam/air and steam/nitrogen conditions is investigated using a Parr autoclave reactor to simulate, in an accelerated manner, the exposure that such adsorbents will see under steam stripping regeneration conditions at various temperatures. The CO2 capacity and organic content of all adsorbents decrease after steam treatment under both steam/air and steam/nitrogen conditions, primarily due to structural collapse of the MCF framework, but with additional contributions likely associated with amine degradation during treatment under harsh conditions. Treatment with steam/air is found to have stronger effect on the CO2 capacity of the adsorbents compared to steam/nitrogen.