Development of new alumina-modified sorbents for CO2 sorption and regeneration at temperatures below 200 °C

A new regenerable alumina-modified sorbent was developed for CO2 capture at temperatures below 200 °C. The CO2 capture capacity of a potassium-based sorbent containing Al2O3 (KAlI) decreased during multiple CO2 sorption (60 °C) and regeneration (200 °C) tests due to the formation of the KAl(CO3)(OH)2 phase, which could be converted into the original K2CO3 phase above 300 °C. However, the new regenerable potassium-based sorbent (Re-KAl(I)) maintained its CO2 capture capacity during multiple tests even at a regeneration temperature of 130 °C. In particular, the CO2 capture capacity of the Re-KAl(I)60 sorbent which was prepared by the impregnation of Al2O3 with 60 wt.% K2CO3 was about 128 mg CO2/g sorbent. This excellent CO2 capture capacity and regeneration property were due to the characteristics of the Re-KAl(I) sorbent producing only a KHCO3 phase during CO2 sorption, unlike the KAlI30 sorbent which formed the KHCO3 and KAl(CO3)(OH)2 phases even at 60 °C. This result was explained through the structural effect of the support containing the KAl(CO3)(OH)2 phase which was prepared by impregnation of Al2O3 with K2CO3 in the presence of CO2.