Highly optimized CO2 capture by inexpensive nanoporous covalent organic polymers and their amine composites

Carbon dioxide (CO2) storage and utilization requires effective capture strategies that limit energy penalties. Polyethylenimine (PEI)-impregnated covalent organic polymers (COPs) with a high CO2 adsorption capacity are successfully prepared in this study. A low cost COP with a high specific surface area is suitable for PEI loading to achieve high CO2 adsorption, and the optimal PEI loading is 36 wt%. Though the adsorbed amount of CO2 on amine impregnated COPs slightly decreased with increasing adsorption temperature, CO2/N2 selectivity is significantly improved at higher temperatures. The adsorption of CO2 on the sorbent is very fast, and a sorption equilibrium (10% wt) was achieved within 5 min at 313 K under the flow of simulated flue gas streams. The CO2 capture efficiency of this sorbent is not affected under repetitive adsorption-desorption cycles. The highest CO2 capture capacity of 75 mg g-1 at 0.15 bar is achieved under dry CO2 capture however it is enhanced to 100 mg g-1 in the mixed gas flow containing humid 15% CO2. Sorbents were found to be thermally stable up to at least 200 °C. TGA and FTIR studies confirmed the loading of PEIs on COPs. This sorbent with high and fast CO2 sorption exhibits a very promising application in direct CO2 capture from flue gas.