Applications of Pore-Expanded Mesoporous Silica. 5. Triamine Grafted Material with Exceptional CO2 Dynamic and Equilibrium Adsorption Performance

Application of pore-expanded MCM-41 (PE-MCM-41) mesoporous silica coated with 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyltrimethoxysilane (TRI) has been extensively examined for the adsorption of CO2 from N2. A systematic study of the amine loading as a function of the relative amounts of TRI and water used during the grafting procedure and the temperature of the grafting reaction was carried out. Extremely high levels of active amine content were achieved using prehydrated silica surfaces at grafting temperatures below reflux in order to facilitate thermally controlled water-aided surface polymerization of the aminosilanes. The CO2 adsorption capacities and rates were determined for all materials as a function of the amount of TRI and water per gram of support added to the grafting mixture. The optimal TRI grafted PE-MCM-41 adsorbent exhibited a 2.65 mmol/g adsorption capacity at 25 °C and 1.0 atm for a dry 5% CO2 in N2 feed mixture, which exceeded all literature reported values, for both meso- and micropo...