Minimizing usage of silane coupling agent for amine-grafted mesoporous silica CO2 adsorbent

Amine-grafted adsorbents are promising CO₂ adsorbents; however, the excessive addition of an amino silane coupling agent during their synthesis increases their production cost. Thus, using low amounts of silane, we synthesized 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS)-grafted SBA-15 mesoporous silica and evaluated its CO₂ adsorption performance. APTMS-grafted SBA-15 samples were prepared using either impregnation or heating–filtration method (grafting). The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy, magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, and elemental analysis. The results revealed that the micropores of SBA-15 were preferentially blocked, and APTMS increasingly occupied the mesopores with increasing amine loading. The CO₂-adsorption performance of the adsorbents was measured by thermogravimetric analysis under dry conditions. Both synthesis methods achieved high amine immobilization efficiency (78.3–92.2%), as estimated from the amount of silane coupling agents used in the synthesis and that immobilized on the support. The adsorbents prepared by the two methods adsorbed similar amounts of CO₂ of approximately 0.5 mmol g^− 1 in 400 ppm CO₂ and ~ 1.0 mmol g^− 1 in 5 vol% CO₂. The adsorption amounts attained in this study are comparable to those of previously reported silane-coupling-agent-modified adsorbents that were prepared with more silane. In contrast, the adsorption rate of the samples was affected by the synthesis method, even with similar amine loadings. Nonetheless, the results revealed that even with a low amount of the silane coupling agent, high-performance amine-grafted CO₂ adsorbents could be synthesized.