Tailoring Synthetic Sol–Gel CaO Sorbents with High Reactivity or High Stability for Ca-Looping CO2 Capture

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research 2019-05, Vol.58 (19), p.8484-8494
• Main Authors: Teixeira, Paula, Hipólito, Joana, Fernandes, Auguste, Ribeiro, Filipa, Pinheiro, Carla I. C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.8b05311

This work presents a study of the influence of sol–gel synthesis conditions on the reactivity and stability of synthetic sol–gel CaO sorbents for Ca-looping CO2 capture. The temperature of the synthesis calcination and the amount of granular activated carbon introduced during sol–gel synthesis play key roles in the performance of sol–gel sorbents along the Ca-looping cycles. A higher initial CO2 uptake was achieved for the sol–gel sorbents calcined at 750 °C. For the sol–gel sorbents calcined at 850 °C, both the reactivity and stability strongly depend on the amount of activated carbon incorporated during the sol–gel synthesis. By the combination of an adequate synthesis calcination temperature with the addition of an adequate amount of granular activated carbon during the sol–gel synthesis of CaO sorbents, it is possible to design and optimize synthetic sol–gel sorbents, tailoring their performance with regard to a desired high CO2 capture capacity, an excellent stability, or both.