Innovative Concepts Phase I: Inorganic Membranes for CO2/N2 Separation

Technical Report · Tue Sep 23 04:00:00 EDT 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/928842· OSTI ID:928842

Desisto, William ^[1]

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1. University Of Maine

Silica membranes were prepared using a novel technique of catalyzed-atomic layer deposition of silica within a mesoporous matrix. Pyridine was used to catalyze the silicon chloride attachment to the hydroxylated silica surface at room temperature. This half-reaction was followed by the hydration of the surface with water regenerating surface hydroxyls and completing one reaction cycle. The technique resulted in the self-limited pore size reduction of the mesoporous matrix to pore sizes near 1 nm. The self-limited reaction was presumed to be the exclusion of the large catalyst molecule from the pore entrance. In addition to pore size reduction, viscous flow defects were repaired without significantly reducing overall porosity of the membrane. In addition, we investigated the ability of amine-functionalization to enhance the CO{sub 2} transport in silica membranes. Specifically, we examined three synthesis techniques for functionalizing silica membranes with amino groups that resulted in different surface chemistries of the silica membranes. These differences were correlated with changes in the CO{sub 2} facilitation characteristics. It was found that high loadings of amino groups where interaction with the silica surface was minimized promoted the highest CO{sub 2} transport.

• Research Organization: University Of Maine
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FG26-02NT41548
• OSTI ID: 928842
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CATALYSTS
FABRICATION
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
MEMBRANES
NITROGEN
POROSITY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICA
SILICON CHLORIDES