Lignin-Based Porous Supraparticles for Carbon Capture.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33779142.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acsnano.0c10307 and PMC identifier 8155330.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Multiscale carbon supraparticles (SPs) are synthesized by soft-templating lignin nano- and microbeads bound with cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). The interparticle connectivity and nanoscale network in the SPs are studied after oxidative thermostabilization of the lignin/CNF constructs. The carbon SPs are formed by controlled sintering during carbonization and develop high mechanical strength (58 N·mm<sup>-3</sup>) and surface area (1152 m<sup>2</sup>·g<sup>-1</sup>). Given their features, the carbon SPs offer hierarchical access to adsorption sites that are well suited for CO<sub>2</sub> capture (77 mg CO<sub>2</sub>·g<sup>-1</sup>), while presenting a relatively low pressure drop (∼33 kPa·m<sup>-1</sup> calculated for a packed fixed-bed column). The introduced lignin-derived SPs address the limitations associated with mass transport (diffusion of adsorbates within channels) and kinetics of systems that are otherwise based on nanoparticles. Moreover, the carbon SPs do not require doping with heteroatoms (as tested for N) for effective CO<sub>2</sub> uptake (at 1 bar CO<sub>2</sub> and 40 °C) and are suitable for regeneration, following multiple adsorption/desorption cycles. Overall, we demonstrate porous SP carbon systems of low cost (precursor, fabrication, and processing) and superior activity (gas sorption and capture).