Development of Adsorbents for Carbon IV Oxide and Methane Capturing from Carbonaceous Materials

Abstract The removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from greenhouse and acid gases using adsorbents is a vital step in the separation process that gets the world a step closer in the search for solutions to climate change. This application has traditionally been implemented using adsorbents such as zeolites due to their advantageous adsorption properties. This work focuses on local adsorbents derived from coconut shell and palm kernel shell for CO2 separation. The adsorption capacity of these materials was assessed through the surface area measurement with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyzer, elemental composition analysis with X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), bulk density determination using a density apparatus, and thermal stability evaluation via Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) System. A detailed examination of palm kernel shell activated charcoal (PKSAC), and coconut shell activated charcoal (CSAC) was conducted, focusing on properties such as surface area and pore volume. The current research demonstrates that the synthesized PKSAC possesses a greater surface area than the rice husk charcoal, measuring 521.864 m²/g, with a pore volume of 0.472 cc/g and a moisture content of 2.4%. Conversely, CSAC demonstrated reduced values of surface area 377.332 m²/g, pore volume 0.342 cc/g, and moisture content of 2.1%. Analysis via TGA revealed that PKSAC, the copolymer, had a superior mass retention of around 80%, whereas CSAC, the polystyrene homopolymer, demonstrated a marginally lower retention of 75% under comparable conditions. The results indicate that PKSAC possesses a greater surface area and superior adsorption capability compared to CSAC. The PKSAC exhibited superior thermal stability, despite the comparable moisture content in both samples. The identical trends defined their pore volume properties. The prior investigation concludes that PKSAC possesses a superior surface area, pore volume, and cumulative surface area compared to CSAC, rendering it a more efficient adsorbent for carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) filtration. A blend of PKSAC and CSAC in a 10% increment was stimulated to get an optimal blend of PKSAC and CSAC in a ratio to give an optimal result better than both adsorbents individually on pore volumes and adsorption rates. This research demonstrates the use of local resources for effective carbon capture technology in Nigeria, ensuring the imbibing of local content in the energy industry using waste materials.