A multi-scale porous composite adsorbent with copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate coating on copper foam†
Abstract
A multi-scale porous composite adsorbent with a micropore copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate coating on macropore copper foam (Cu-BTC/CF) is synthesized in this study through electrochemical deposition. Cu-BTC/CF compensates for the limitations of common metal organic frameworks in terms of low thermal conductivity, high pressure drop, and poor selectivity. The thermal conductivity and adsorption isotherms (N2, CH4, and CO2) in Cu-BTC/CF are experimentally investigated at 20, 40, 60, and 80 pores per linear inch (PPI). The pressure drop, temperature response, and selectivity of CO2/N2 and CH4/N2 in the Cu-BTC/CF adsorption bed are simulated and predicted accordingly. The pressure drop of Cu-BTC/CF is 3.0–33.8% of pure Cu-BTC powder with a velocity range of 0.1–0.8 m s−1. The effective thermal conductivity of Cu-BTC/CF is 1.59–27.52 times higher than that of pure Cu-BTC powder. The time for Cu-BTC/CF to satisfy the desorption condition (above 373.15 K) is much shorter than that of pure Cu-BTC. The temperature uniformity for the Cu-BTC/CF adsorption bed is correspondingly improved compared with that for a pure Cu-BTC adsorption bed. Moreover, the selectivity of CO2/N2 in 60 PPI Cu-BTC/CF is 1.36–7.44 times higher than that in pure Cu-BTC, and the selectivity of CH4/N2 in 80 PPI Cu-BTC/CF is 1.41–2.95 times higher than that in pure Cu-BTC at 0–100 kPa and 273.15 K.