CO2 capture performance and characterization of cellulose aerogels synthesized from old corrugated containers

Yingju Miao; Hongchao Luo; Manoj Pudukudy; Yunfei Zhi; Wenbo Zhao; Shaoyun Shan; Qingming Jia; Yonghao Ni

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115380

CO₂ capture performance and characterization of cellulose aerogels synthesized from old corrugated containers

Carbohydr Polym. 2020 Jan 1:227:115380. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115380. Epub 2019 Sep 25.

Authors

Yingju Miao¹, Hongchao Luo², Manoj Pudukudy³, Yunfei Zhi⁴, Wenbo Zhao⁵, Shaoyun Shan⁶, Qingming Jia⁷, Yonghao Ni⁸

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China; Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China; School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, China. Electronic address: egomyj@163.com.
² School of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, China. Electronic address: luohongchao120@163.com.
³ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address: manojpudukudy@gmail.com.
⁴ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address: zyf891123@163.com.
⁵ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address: wenshuixing@126.com.
⁶ Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address: shansy411@163.com.
⁷ Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China; Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address: jiaqm411@163.com.
⁸ Limerick Pulp and Paper Centre, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, E3B 5A3, Canada. Electronic address: yonghao@unb.ca.

PMID: 31590848
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.115380

Abstract

Old corrugated containers with low recyclability were used as raw materials to synthesize a series of aerogels with varying cellulose concentrations in NaOH/urea solution via a freeze-drying process. The resulting aerogels had a rich porous structure with specific surface areas in the range of 132.72-245.19 m².g^-1 and mesopore volumes in the range of 0.73-1.53 cm³.g^-1, and were tested for CO₂ sorption at ambient temperature and pressure, displaying excellent CO₂ adsorption capacities in the range of 1.96-11.78 mmol.g^-1. Furthermore, the CO₂/N₂ selectivity of aerogels decreased with decreasing specific surface area, which was mainly caused by the decrease in CO₂ capture. In addition, the CO₂ sorption capacity of the sample with 2% cellulose content, CA-2, exceeded the values reported so far for many other sorbents with higher specific surface areas, and showed reasonable cyclic stability for CO₂ capture. Therefore, this adsorbent represents an attractive prospect for CO₂ uptake at room temperature.

Keywords: CO(2) uptake; Cellulose aerogels; Old corrugated containers; Physisorption; Room temperature and pressure.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Carbon Dioxide / chemistry*
Carbon Sequestration*
Cellulose / chemistry*
Gels
Paper
Porosity
Recycling
Sodium Hydroxide / chemistry
Urea / chemistry

Substances

Gels
Carbon Dioxide
Sodium Hydroxide
Urea
Cellulose