Adsorption based CO ₂ capture and separation by microporous metal organic framework (MMOF) materials

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has been identified as a major contributor to global warming. Developing effective methods to capture and separate CO ₂ from flue gas mixtures generated by power plants has become one of the most pressing issues concerning environmental conservation and protection. Adsorption-based separation methods such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA) have the advantages of easy control and low energy demand. However, to make such a process practical, it is essential to develop low-cost adsorbents of high selectivity and capacity for CO ₂, especially at relatively low pressures (e.g.∼0.1-0.2 atm, the partial pressure of CO ₂ in flue gases). The on-going research reveals that microporous metal organic framework (MMOF) materials are emerging as a promising family of such adsorbents. In this talk, we present our recent efforts in the synthesis, structure modification and optimization, and adsorption studies of selected compounds that demonstrate potential for effective capture and separation of carbon dioxides.