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Carbon monoxide (CO), produced via partial oxidation and steam reforming processes, is an important feedstock in the chemical industry. Efficient and selective separation of CO from industrial gas mixtures remains a key challenge, particularly in complex byproduct streams containing multiple gas components. In this study, pore-engineered Cu(I)-loaded pelletized activated carbon (AC) adsorbents were developed for selective CO separation via π-complexation.
Commercial pelletized AC supports were steam-activated to tailor pore structure, including surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution, enabling enhanced adsorption performance. The adsorbent steam-activated for 3 h, impregnated with CuCl₂, and subsequently reduced from Cu²⁺ to Cu⁺ at 623 K exhibited optimal CO adsorption behavior. Strong π-complexation interactions between Cu(I) sites and CO molecules significantly enhanced CO affinity compared with other gases.
At 100 kPa, adsorption capacities followed the order:
CO (2.52–2.68 mmol/g) > CO₂ (0.32–0.42 mmol/g) > CH₄ (0.08–0.10 mmol/g) > N₂ (0.02–0.04 mmol/g) >> H₂ (0.001–0.01 mmol/g).
Selectivity values showed the following order:
CO/CO₂ (6.5–8.1) < CO/CH₄ (25.6–32.8) < CO/N₂ (64.3–107.2) < CO/H₂ (373.3–2429).
Breakthrough experiments confirmed preferential CO adsorption under mixed-gas conditions, demonstrating effective separation performance. Adsorption–desorption cycling further verified the stability and reusability of the adsorbents, with regeneration achieved in an N₂ atmosphere at 573 K.
These results demonstrate that combining pore structure engineering with specific metal–gas interactions enables effective control of molecular transport and selectivity in porous media, offering a practical approach for selective CO separation from steel and chemical industry byproduct gases.
Keywords: Activated carbon; Pore engineering; Cu impregnation; π-complexation; CO separation
| References | K.-J. Ko, et.al., Overview of carbon monoxide adsorption performance of pristine and modified adsorbents, J. Chem. Eng. Data. 67 (2022) 1599–1616 |
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| Country | South Korea |
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