1. “Advanced NanoCarbon Based Sorbent
for CO2 Capture”
Maha Yusuf
(2009-NUST-BE-Chem-33)
BE Chemical Engineering
School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, NUST
Supervisor: Dr. Habib Nasir
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Wei-Yin-Chen
Members: Dr. Arshad, Dr. Mohammad
Mujahid

2. Introduction/Reason of Selecting the TOPIC Advanced Nano-Carbon-Based Sorbent for CO2 Capture
» Need to improve CO2 capture process; one possible route is to develop new carbon-based sorbents
» Need to find new routes for disposing captured CO2 ; CO2 fixation on carbonaceous compounds is the
first step of many CO2 utilization processes
» Nano-Carbons have a large surface area for CO2 capture and functionalization – Procedures for
manipulating and functionalizing Nano-Carbons (such as graphene, CNT, GO and GOF) have been wellestablished
» CO2 capture on these carbon materials have not been systematically investigated!

3. Key Concepts
 Nano-Graphite
 Nano-Graphene
 Nano-Graphene Oxide
 Nano-Graphene oxide Framework
 Functionalized Nano-Graphene Oxide, its frameworks
 CO2 Capture Capacity

4. Synthesis of Nano-Graphene Oxide
• Single - Layer Nano-Graphene Oxide (NGO) sheets are prepared from graphite flakes, 450 m by a
‘new method’ which is further modification of the ‘Modified Hummer’s method’, using sonication during
the oxidation process and KMnO4 as the only oxidant which was followed by freeze-drying of the product.
oxidation
by modified
Hummers'
method
exfoliation
ultra sonication
H2SO4
NaNO3
KMnO4
graphite has an interlayer spacing
of 0.335 nm
graphite oxide has an
interlayer spacing about 0.7
nm. It contains three major
oxygen functional groups:
epoxides,
phenolic
and
carboxylic acids
single-layer graphene oxide (GO) platelets.
Nano-sized GO contains a rich population of
oxygen functional groups that have emerged
as the building blocks for many technologies
4

5. Synthesis of Nano-Graphene Oxide Frame-work


Preparation of Nano-Graphene Oxide Framework (NGOF) from ‘Methanol Solvothermal synthesis’ using freeze-dried
GO prepared from Asbury Micro 450 as the base material
The linker used was: B14DBA (Benzene 1,4-Diboronic Acid)
Figure 2: Burress et al. (2010)
showed that a) boronic ester
and b) GOF formation.
Idealized graphene oxide
framework (GOF) materials
proposed in this study are
formed of layers of graphene
oxide connected by
benzenediboronic acid pillars.
The resultant GOF can be
oxidized and then grafted with
an amine (just like GO
mentioned in Figure 2) that
serves as a potentially potent
CO2-chemisorption adsorbent.

6. RESULTS
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
BET with N2 gas
• BET Surface Area
• Pore Volume
SEM
EDAX - SEM
XRD
BET with CO2 gas

7. BET with N2 Results
Asbury Micro 450
Asbury 4827
Freeze-Dried GO
BET Surface Area
m2/g
11.6650
232.0207
102.2141
Adsorption Average
Pore Size Width/ Ao
18.9948
18.7232
18.7233
3.5812
70.2121
30.9314
Quantity Adsorbed
(cm3/g STP) at relative
pressure of 0.250

8. XRD Spectra of Nano - Graphite

9. XRD Spectra of Freeze-dried GO

10. XRD Spectra of Nano-Graphene Oxide Framework

11. SEM Images
Micro 450
Micro 850

12. SEM Images
Thermally Exfoilated
Graphene
Freeze-Dried GO

13. SEM Images
Graphene-Oxide
Framework

14. BET with CO2 gas
Asbury Micro 450
Quantity Adsorbed (cm3/g STP)
25
y = 36.59x + 4.583
R² = 0.984
20
15
10
5
0
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.1
0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
0.5
y = 0.034x + 0.065
R² = 0.11
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
Relative Pressure (p/po)
0.2
0.25
0.3
Relative Pressure (p/po)
Nano-graphene Oxide Framework
Quantity Adsorbed (cm3/g STP)
Quantity Adsorbed (cm3/g STP)
Freeze-Dried GO
12
y = 8.421x + 7.114
R² = 0.425
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
Relative pressure (p/po)
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5

15. CO2 Adsorption Capacity Data
• Calculations:
Density of CO2 at 1 atm and 0 C = 1.977 kg/m3
Note: these are calculated at p/po = 0.45
Samples
Mg CO2 Adsorbed per gram of sample
Nano-Graphite
1.977 kg/m3 * 0.090 cm3/g sample = 0.17793 mg CO2 adsorbed/g sample
Nano-Graphene Oxide
1.977 kg/m3 * 21 cm3/g sample = 41.517 mg CO2 adsorbed/g sample
Nano-Graphene Oxide
Framework
1.977 kg/m3 * 9.74 cm3/g sample = 19.255 mg CO2 adsorbed/g sample

16. Conclusions



Higher O/C ratio for Nano-Graphene Oxide (NGO) with new method of combining oxidation with
sonication at the same time
BET Surface area of Asbury 4827 (nano-graphite) highest – possibility of making advanced CO2
sorbent using this as the base material
CO2 Adsorption capacity of single-layer nano-graphene oxide sheets is the highest even higher than
the highest reported by the Chinese Group of the functionalized graphitic oxide with 50 wt% EDA =
46.55 mg CO2/g sample!
Future Advancements



Functionalization of single-layer graphene-oxide sheets with amines like EDA (ethylene
diamine), DETA (diethylenetriamine), and others
Possibility of making composite membrane with CA by solution casting method
Writing a Joint Paper with UM

17. Applications of the Project








Goal of CO2 capture
CCS technology
Improved Gasification Efficiency
Waste (including CO2) Utilization
Soil fertility
New Avenue of CO2 Utilization
Possible CO2 Adsorbent in Industry replacing liquid amine
CO2 capture membranes

18. LITERATURE SURVEY/ REFERENCES
 Burress, J.W., Gadipelli, S., Ford, J., Simmons, J.M., Zhou, W., Yildirim., T.
Graphene oxide framework materials: theoretical predictions and
experimental results. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 8902-8904.
 Chateauneuf, J.E., Zhang, J., Foote, J., Brink, J., Perkovic, M.W., Photoche
mical Fixation of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: the Production of a
Carboxylic Acid from a Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon, Advances in
Environmental Research, 2002, 6, 487-493.
 Stankovich, S., Dikin, D.A., Dommett, G.H.B., Kohlhaas, K.M., Zimney, E.J
., Stach, E.A., Piner, R.D., Nguyen, S.T., Ruoff, R.S., Graphene-based
composite materials. Nature. 2006, 442, 282-286.

20. Maha Yusuf
FINAL YEAR PROJECT
Thank You!!!!