Highly efficient CO2 capture with a metal–organic framework‐derived porous carbon impregnated with polyethyleneimine

Global warming is considered as one of the great challenges of the twenty‐first century. Application of CO₂ capture and storage technologies to flue gas is considered to be a useful method of lessening global warning. Highly porous carbon has played an important role in tackling energy and environmental problems. We attempted to synthesize a highly porous carbon adsorbent by carbonizing a highly crystalline metal–organic framework (MOF) without any carbon precursors and focused on the adsorption of CO₂ and CH₄ gases and CO₂/CH₄ selectivity at 298, 323 and 348 K using a volumetric apparatus. The MOF‐derived porous carbon (MDC) was prepared by direct carbonization of MOF‐199 as a template at 900 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. Amino‐impregnated MDC samples exhibited enhanced adsorption capacities by a combination of physical and chemical adsorption. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was selected as the amine source, which was found to greatly enhance CO₂ capture when supported on the porous carbon. Novel PEI‐impregnated MDC nanocomposites were synthesized by wetness impregnation and then characterized using various methods.     

Thermodynamic model of solubility for CO2 in dimethyl sulfoxide

The solubility of CO₂ in dimethyl sulfoxide has been determined from 293.15 K to 313.15 K and partial pressure of CO₂ from 5.56 kPa to 18.2 kPa. Based on the data obtained from the CO₂ solubility experiments, a gas–liquid phase equilibrium model for CO₂–DMSO system was proposed. The average relative deviation between the experimental data of equilibrium partial pressure of CO₂ in DMSO and the corresponding data predicted by the model proposed is 4.85%, it shows that the agreement is satisfactory.     

Transparent,Ultrahigh‐Gas‐Barrier Films with a Brick–Mortar–Sand Structure

Transparent and flexible gas‐barrier materials have shown broad applications in electronics, food, and pharmaceutical preservation. Herein, we report ultrahigh‐gas‐barrier films with a brick–mortar–sand structure fabricated by layer‐by‐layer (LBL) assembly of XAl‐layered double hydroxide (LDH, X=Mg, Ni, Zn, Co) nanoplatelets and polyacrylic acid (PAA) followed by CO₂ infilling, denoted as (XAl‐LDH/PAA)_n‐CO₂. The near‐perfectly parallel orientation of the LDH “brick” creates a long diffusion length to hinder the transmission of gas molecules in the PAA “mortar”. Most significantly, both the experimental studies and theoretical simulations reveal that the chemically adsorbed CO₂ acts like “sand” to fill the free volume at the organic–inorganic interface, which further depresses the diffusion of permeating gas. The strategy presented here provides a new insight into the perception of barrier mechanism, and the (XAl‐LDH/PAA)_n‐CO₂ film is among the best gas barrier films ever reported.     

Carbon Dioxide Capture and Use: Organic Synthesis Using Carbon Dioxide from Exhaust Gas

A carbon capture and use (CCU) strategy was applied to organic synthesis. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) captured directly from exhaust gas was used for organic transformations as efficiently as hyper‐pure CO₂ gas from a commercial source, even for highly air‐ and moisture‐sensitive reactions. The CO₂ capturing aqueous ethanolamine solution could be recycled continuously without any diminished reaction efficiency.     

Reversible Hydrophobic–Hydrophilic Transition of Ionic Liquids Driven by Carbon Dioxide

Ionic liquids (ILs) with a reversible hydrophobic–hydrophilic transition were developed, and they exhibited unique phase behavior with H₂O: monophase in the presence of CO₂, but biphase upon removal of CO₂ at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Thus, coupling of reaction, separation, and recovery steps in sustainable chemical processes could be realized by a reversible liquid–liquid phase transition of such IL‐H₂O mixtures. Spectroscopic investigations and DFT calculations showed that the mechanism behind hydrophobic–hydrophilic transition involved reversible reaction of CO₂ with anion of the ILs and formation of hydrophilic ammonium salts. These unique IL‐H₂O systems were successfully utilized for facile one‐step synthesis of Au porous films by bubbling CO₂ under ambient conditions. The Au porous films and the ILs were then separated simultaneously from aqueous solutions by bubbling N₂, and recovered ILs could be directly reused in the next process.     

Specific ionic conduction in poly[oligo (oxyethylene glycol) methacrylate] (PMEO)–Li salt complexes under high‐pressure CO2

We measured the ionic conductivity of amorphous poly[oligo (oxyethylene glycol) methacrylate] (PMEO)–lithium salt complexes under a CO₂ pressure varying from 0.1 to 20 MPa. The pressure dependence of the conductivity was positive, and the conductivity was higher than that under an inert gas such as N₂. The ion‐conductive behavior has been modeled using both the Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) equation and activation volume theory. The calculated parameters of the VTF equation show that CO₂ that had permeated into the PMEO matrix acts as solvent molecules to dissolve ions and lower the glass transition temperature at high pressures. The ionic conduction in PMEO complexes under high‐pressure CO₂ was scarcely related to the VTF parameters and activation volume equations. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3151–3158, 2005     

High CO2‐Capture Ability of a Porous Organic Polymer Bifunctionalized with Carboxy and Triazole Groups

A new porous organic polymer, SNU‐C1 , incorporating two different CO₂‐attracting groups, namely, carboxy and triazole groups, has been synthesized. By activating SNU‐C1 with two different methods, vacuum drying and supercritical‐CO₂ treatment, the guest‐free phases, SNU‐C1‐va and SNU‐C1‐sca , respectively, were obtained. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas of SNU‐C1‐va and SNU‐C1‐sca are 595 and 830 m²g^?1, respectively, as estimated by the N₂‐adsorption isotherms at 77 K. At 298 K and 1 atm, SNU‐C1‐va and SNU‐C1‐sca show high CO₂ uptakes, 2.31 mmol g^?1 and 3.14 mmol g^?1, respectively, the high level being due to the presence of abundant polar groups (carboxy and triazole) exposed on the pore surfaces. Five separation parameters for flue gas and landfill gas in vacuum‐swing adsorption were calculated from single‐component gas‐sorption isotherms by using the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST). The data reveal excellent CO₂‐separation abilities of SNU‐C1‐va and SNU‐C1‐sca , namely high CO₂‐uptake capacity, high selectivity, and high regenerability. The gas‐cycling experiments for the materials and the water‐treated samples, experiments that involved treating the samples with a CO₂‐N₂ gas mixture (15:85, v/v) followed by a pure N₂ purge, further verified the high regenerability and water stability. The results suggest that these materials have great potential applications in CO₂ separation.     

A Cationic MOF with High Uptake and Selectivity for CO2 due to Multiple CO2‐Philic Sites

The reaction of N‐rich pyrazinyl triazolyl carboxyl ligand 3‐(4‐carboxylbenzene)‐5‐(2‐pyrazinyl)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole (H₂cbptz) with MnCl₂ afforded 3D cationic metal–organic framework (MOF) [Mn₂(Hcbptz)₂(Cl)(H₂O)]Cl ? DMF ? 0.5 CH₃CN ( 1 ), which has an unusual (3,4)‐connected 3,4T1 topology and 1D channels composed of cavities. MOF 1 has a very polar framework that contains exposed metal sites, uncoordinated N atoms, narrow channels, and Cl^? basic sites, which lead to not only high CO₂ uptake, but also remarkably selective adsorption of CO₂ over N₂ and CH₄ at 298–333 K. The multiple CO₂‐philic sites were identified by grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, 1 shows excellent stability in natural air environment. These advantages make 1 a very promising candidate in post‐combustion CO₂ capture, natural‐gas upgrading, and landfill gas‐purification processes.     

Directing the Structural Features of N2‐Phobic Nanoporous Covalent Organic Polymers for CO2 Capture and Separation

A family of azo‐bridged covalent organic polymers (azo‐COPs) was synthesized through a catalyst‐free direct coupling of aromatic nitro and amine compounds under basic conditions. The azo‐COPs formed 3D nanoporous networks and exhibited surface areas up to 729.6 m² g^?1, with a CO₂‐uptake capacity as high as 2.55 mmol g^?1 at 273 K and 1 bar. Azo‐COPs showed remarkable CO₂/N₂ selectivities (95.6–165.2) at 298 K and 1 bar. Unlike any other porous material, CO₂/N₂ selectivities of azo‐COPs increase with rising temperature. It was found that azo‐COPs show less than expected affinity towards N₂ gas, thus making the framework “N₂‐phobic”, in relative terms. Our theoretical simulations indicate that the origin of this unusual behavior is associated with the larger entropic loss of N₂ gas molecules upon their interaction with azo‐groups. The effect of fused aromatic rings on the CO₂/N₂ selectivity in azo‐COPs is also demonstrated. Increasing the π‐surface area resulted in an increase in the CO₂‐philic nature of the framework, thus allowing us to reach a CO₂/N₂ selectivity value of 307.7 at 323 K and 1 bar, which is the highest value reported to date. Hence, it is possible to combine the concepts of “CO₂‐philicity” and “N₂‐phobicity” for efficient CO₂ capture and separation. Isosteric heats of CO₂ adsorption for azo‐COPs range from 24.8–32.1 kJ mol^?1 at ambient pressure. Azo‐COPs are stable up to 350 °C in air and boiling water for a week. A promising cis/trans isomerization of azo‐COPs for switchable porosity is also demonstrated, making way for a gated CO₂ uptake.     

High‐Performance K–CO2 Batteries Based on Metal‐Free Carbon Electrocatalysts

Metal–CO₂ batteries have attracted much attention owing to their high energy density and use of greenhouse CO₂ waste as the energy source. However, the increasing cost of lithium and the low discharge potential of Na–CO₂ batteries create obstacles for practical applications of Li/Na–CO₂ batteries. Recently, earth‐abundant potassium ions have attracted considerable interest as fast ionic charge carriers for electrochemical energy storage. Herein, we report the first K–CO₂ battery with a carbon‐based metal‐free electrocatalyst. The battery shows a higher theoretical discharge potential (E^?=2.48 V) than that of Na–CO₂ batteries (E^?=2.35 V) and can operate for more than 250 cycles (1500 h) with a cutoff capacity of 300 mA h g^?1. Combined DFT calculations and experimental observations revealed a reaction mechanism involving the reversible formation and decomposition of P12₁/c1‐type K₂CO₃ at the efficient carbon‐based catalyst.     

Hydrocarbon solubility,permeability, and competitive sorption effects in polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐1) membranes

The sorption and permeation of pentane, hexane, and toluene through highly permeable polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐1) membranes were investigated. It was established that the hydrocarbons sorbed strongly within the micro‐void regions of the PIM‐1 membrane. The sorption concentration was similar for the paraffins, pentane and hexane, but greater for aromatic toluene at high vapor activities. The magnitude of the hydrocarbon permeability was associated with the critical temperature of the hydrocarbon. The PIM‐1 membrane displayed selectivity for the three hydrocarbons over CO₂. As a consequence, the presence of the three hydrocarbons dramatically reduced the permeability of CO₂ and N₂ under mixed gas–vapor conditions to 68%–95% below the dry gas value. For all three hydrocarbons the N₂ permeability was more strongly impacted than CO₂ permeability, and hence the ideal CO₂/N₂ selectivity of PIM‐1 increased. It was determined that CO₂ and N₂ solubility decreased because of hydrocarbon competitive sorption while CO₂ and N₂ diffusivity also decreased because of anti‐plasticization, which was due to the presence of hydrocarbon clusters within the membrane structure. There was a clear correlation between the magnitude of anti‐plasticization and the critical temperature of the hydrocarbon. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 397–404     

Polymer Meets Frustrated Lewis Pair: Second‐Generation CO2‐Responsive Nanosystem for Sustainable CO2 Conversion

Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLP), a couple comprising a sterically encumbered Lewis acid and Lewis base, can offer latent reactivity for activating inert gas molecules. However, their use as a platform for fabricating gas‐responsive materials has not yet developed. Merging the FLP concept with polymers, we report a new generation CO₂‐responsive system, differing from the first‐generation ones based on an acid–base equilibrium mechanism. Two complementary Lewis acidic and basic block copolymers, installing bulky borane‐ and phosphine‐containing blocks, were built as the macromolecular FLP. They can bind CO₂ to drive micellar formation, in which CO₂ as a cross‐linker bridges the block chains. This dative bonding endows the assembly with ultrafast response (<20 s), thermal reversibility, and excellent reproducibility. Moreover, such micelles bound highly active CO₂ can function as nanocatalysts for recyclable C₁ catalysis, opening a new direction of sustainable CO₂ conversion.     

Probing the Structural Stability of and Enhanced CO2 Storage in MOF MIL‐68(In) under High Pressures by FTIR Spectroscopy

The unique structural topology of metal–organic framework (MOF) MIL‐68, featuring two types of channels with distinct pore sizes, makes it a promising candidate for application in gas storage and separation. In this study, the behavior of as‐made and activated MIL‐68(In) was investigated in a diamond‐anvil cell under high pressure by in situ IR spectroscopy. The framework exhibits high stability under compression up to 9 GPa, whereas the bridging OH groups appear to be very sensitive to compression. Pressure‐induced structural modifications were found to be completely reversible for as‐made MIL‐68(In) but irreversible for the activated framework. Moreover, the addition of Nujol as pressure‐transmitting medium makes the framework more resilient to pressure. Finally, when loaded with CO₂, the framework exhibited interesting differential binding affinities with CO₂ in the hexagonal and triangular pores at different pressures. The pressure‐enhanced CO₂ storage behavior and the guest–host interaction mechanism between CO₂ and the MOF framework were explored with the aid of Monte Carlo simulations. These studies demonstrated great potential for MIL‐68(In) in gas‐storage applications that require extreme loading pressures.     

A Highly Permeable Aligned Montmorillonite Mixed‐Matrix Membrane for CO2 Separation

Highly permeable montmorillonite layers bonded and aligned with the chain stretching orientation of polyvinylamineacid are immobilized onto a porous polysulfone substrate to fabricate aligned montmorillonite/polysulfone mixed‐matrix membranes for CO₂ separation. High‐speed gas‐transport channels are formed by the aligned interlayer gaps of the modified montmorillonite, through which CO₂ transport primarily occurs. High CO₂ permeance of about 800 GPU is achieved combined with a high mixed‐gas selectivity for CO₂ that is stable over a period of 600 h and independent of the water content in the feed.     

Methanol Synthesis at a Wide Range of H2/CO2 Ratios over a Rh‐In Bimetallic Catalyst

There is increasing interest in capturing H₂ generated from renewables with CO₂ to produce methanol. However, renewable hydrogen production is expensive and in limited quantity compared to CO₂. Excess CO₂ and limited H₂ in the feedstock gas is not favorable for CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol, causing low activity and poor methanol selectivity. Now, a class of Rh‐In catalysts with optimal adsorption properties to the intermediates of methanol production is presented. The Rh‐In catalyst can effectively catalyze methanol synthesis but inhibit the reverse water‐gas shift reaction under H₂‐deficient gas flow and shows the best competitive methanol productivity under industrially applicable conditions in comparison with reported values. This work demonstrates a strong potential of Rh‐In bimetallic composition, from which a convenient methanol synthesis based on flexible feedstock compositions (such as H₂/CO₂ from biomass derivatives) with lower energy cost can be established.     

A Rechargeable Hydrogen Battery Based on Ru Catalysis

Apart from energy generation, the storage and liberation of energy are among the major problems in establishing a sustainable energy supply chain. Herein we report the development of a rechargeable H₂ battery which is based on the principle of the Ru‐catalyzed hydrogenation of CO₂ to formic acid (charging process) and the Ru‐catalyzed decomposition of formic acid to CO₂ and H₂ (discharging process). Both processes are driven by the same catalyst at elevated temperature either under pressure (charging process) or pressure‐free conditions (discharging process). Up to five charging–discharging cycles were performed without decrease of storage capacity. The resulting CO₂/H₂ mixture is free of CO and can be employed directly in fuel‐cell technology.     

Hydrogenation of CO2‐Derived Carbonates and Polycarbonates to Methanol and Diols by Metal–Ligand Cooperative Manganese Catalysis

The first base‐metal‐catalysed hydrogenation of CO₂‐derived carbonates to alcohols is presented. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions in the presence of a well‐defined manganese complex with a loading as low as 0.25 mol %. The non‐precious‐metal homogenous catalytic system provides an indirect route for the conversion of CO₂ into methanol with the co‐production of value‐added (vicinal) diols in yields of up to 99 %. Experimental and computational studies indicate a metal–ligand cooperative catalysis mechanism.     

Extreme Carbon Dioxide Sorption Hysteresis in Open‐Channel Rigid Metal–Organic Frameworks

A systematic study is presented of three closely related microporous metal‐organic frameworks the pore dimensions of which vary according to the choice of 4,4′‐bipyridyl linker. The tunable linker allows exploration of the effect of increasing pore dimensions on the sorption behavior of the frameworks. The MOFs described capture CO₂ under supercritical conditions and continue to sequester the gas under ambient conditions. Gas sorption isotherms for CO₂ are compared with thermogravimetric data, and the CO₂ molecules in the channels of the frameworks could be modeled using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Crystallographic data were used to construct a theoretical model based on DFT methods to calculate framework electrostatic potential maps with a view to understanding the nature of the sorbate–sorbent interactions.     

Enhanced CO2 Adsorption over Polymeric Amines Supported on Heteroatom‐Incorporated SBA‐15 Silica: Impact of Heteroatom Type and Loading on Sorbent Structure and Adsorption Performance

Silica supported amine materials are promising compositions that can be used to effectively remove CO₂ from large stationary sources, such as flue gas generated from coal‐fired power plants (ca. 10 % CO₂) and potentially from ambient air (ca. 400 ppm CO₂). The CO₂ adsorption characteristics of prototypical poly(ethyleneimine)–silica composite adsorbents can be significantly enhanced by altering the acid/base properties of the silica support by heteroatom incorporation into the silica matrix. In this study, an array of poly(ethyleneimine)‐impregnated mesoporous silica SBA‐15 materials containing heteroatoms (Al, Ti, Zr, and Ce) in their silica matrices are prepared and examined in adsorption experiments under conditions simulating flue gas (10 % CO₂ in Ar) and ambient air (400 ppm CO₂ in Ar) to assess the effects of heteroatom incorporation on the CO₂ adsorption properties. The structure of the composite adsorbents, including local information concerning the state of the incorporated heteroatoms and the overall surface properties of the silicate supports, are investigated in detail to draw a relationship between the adsorbent structure and CO₂ adsorption/desorption performance. The CO₂ adsorption/desorption kinetics are assessed by thermogravimetric analysis and in situ FT‐IR measurements. These combined results, coupled with data on adsorbent regenerability, demonstrate a stabilizing effect of the heteroatoms on the poly(ethyleneimine), enhancing adsorbent capacity, adsorption kinetics, regenerability, and stability of the supported aminopolymers over continued cycling. It is suggested that the CO₂ adsorption performance of silica–aminopolymer composites may be further enhanced in the future by more precisely tuning the acid/base properties of the support.     

MoP Nanoparticles Supported on Indium‐Doped Porous Carbon: Outstanding Catalysts for Highly Efficient CO2 Electroreduction

Electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into value‐added product is an interesting area. MoP nanoparticles supported on porous carbon were synthesized using metal–organic frameworks as the carbon precursor, and initial work on CO₂ electroreduction using the MoP‐based catalyst were carried out. It was discovered that MoP nanoparticles supported on In‐doped porous carbon had outstanding performance for CO₂ reduction to formic acid. The Faradaic efficiency and current density could reach 96.5 % and 43.8 mA cm^?2, respectively, when using ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate as the supporting electrolyte. The current density is higher than those reported up to date with very high Faradaic efficiency. The MoP nanoparticles and the doped In₂O₃ cooperated very well in catalyzing the CO₂ electroreduction.