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.