Microwave-assisted nitric acid treatment of sepiolite and functionalization with polyethylenimine applied to CO2 capture and CO2/N2 separation

Abstract

Sepiolite was treated in HNO3 solutions with the assistance of microwave radiation. This treatment caused the progressive depletion of Mg2+, the gradual degradation of the sepiolite structure and the formation of an amorphous silica phase, which contributes to a noticeable increase of the surface area. The use of microwaves during acid treatment, after few minutes, led to materials with similar SBET to those obtained after 48 h with conventional heating methods. The influence of mineralogical impurities, crystallinity and chemical composition in the reactivity of sepiolite to this treatment was also studied. The obtained materials were impregnated with polyethylenimine and assessed for CO2 capture and CO2/N2 selectivity at different temperatures. Experimental equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir and Sips models. The adsorption data revealed that sepiolite can be an interesting adsorbent for CO2 capture, achieving a capacity of 1.70 mmol g−1 at 338 K and 1 bar, providing a high CO2/N2 selectivity (440 mol CO2/mol N2).