Gas capture using polymeric particles
AssigneeCharmstar Cambridge Limited
InventorsSeyed Ali Nabavi, Goran Vladisavljevic, Vasilije Manovic
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method of making a polymeric material for selective adsorption of a gas. The method comprises dissolving a monomer comprising a functional group having an affinity for the gas in a solvent with a cross-linker and an initiator; emulsifying the solution in a liquid which is immiscible with the first solvent; and agitating and heating the emulsion to cause polymerization of the monomer into a cross-linked polymer having nanocavities with functional groups covalently-incorporated on walls thereof. Also disclosed are polymeric particles, an apparatus for forming the particles and a method of adsorbing a selected gas.
Claims53
A method of making a polymeric material for selective adsorption of a gas, comprising:
- dissolving a monomer comprising a functional group having an affinity for the gas in a solvent with a cross-linker and an initiator;
- emulsifying the solution in an oil which is immiscible with the solvent;
- and
- agitating and providing thermal or light energy to the emulsion to cause polymerization of the monomer into a cross-linked polymer having nanocavities with functional groups covalently-incorporated on walls thereof.
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising washing the polymer by one or more of:
- mechanical agitation;
- ultrasonic agitation;
- and soxhlet extraction, to remove the oil.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein providing thermal energy comprises heating at a temperature of at least a decomposition temperature of the initiator and/or wherein providing light energy comprises irradiating with a UV light of an energy density and wavelength of at least a decomposition energy of the initiator.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the emulsifying comprises forcing the solution through a porous membrane and forming substantially uniformly-sized droplets by controlling a rate of flow through the membrane and a shear force causing relative movement between the membrane surface and the emulsion.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the dissolving comprises mixing with a template comprising molecules that are structurally similar to molecules of the gas such that monomer-template complexes are formed.
The method of any preceding claim, for making a polymeric material for selective adsorption of carbon dioxide, wherein the functional group is a carbon-dioxide-philic group which is one of an amide group;
- an amine group;
- a carboxyl group;
- and a hydroxyl group.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the oil is further immiscible with the monomer and initiator.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the agitating comprises stirring at a speed of between approximately 100 rpm and 1200 rpm.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the mineral oil has a dynamic viscosity of between approximately 10 and 20 mPa·s.
A material comprising particles of irregular, rounded shape formed from clustered and partially-fused spherical or substantially spherical polymer particles and having nanocavities with functional groups having an affinity for a gas covalently incorporated on the walls of the nanocavities, onto which molecules of the gas can be selectively adsorbed.
The material of claim 38 or claim 49, wherein the carbon dioxide-philic groups are one of an amide;
- an amine;
- a carboxyl;
- and a hydroxyl.
The method of any of claims 47 to 50, wherein the selected gas is carbon dioxide, and the material is the material of any of claims 38 to 55.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.