Obtención de materiales altamente básicos a partir de esmectitas naturales modificadas con metales alcalinotérreos y su aplicación en la elaboración de esponjas para la remoción de CO2 de una corriente de gas.

Abstract

In this research, ceramic sponges were prepared from natural smectite of Loja, located in the South of Ecuador. The smectite was modified with Ba and Ca and the porous ceramic material was prepared using a cylinder shaped mold of polyurethane sponge or natural sponge loofah (Luffa Aegyptiaca) impregnated with smectite mud and drying in an oven at 90 ° C. The impregnated and dried molds were calcined between 600 and 1200 °C to remove the mold. The potential of the porous ceramic material for capturing CO2 was studied, and was determined the calcination temperature effect over pressure drop, mechanical strength and capacity to remove CO2, using a synthetic gas stream of 10% CO2 in N2. The results show that the modified ceramic sponges have a remove capacity of CO2 from 55 to 82.5%, with a lower pressure drop than 1 KPa and a mechanical strength of 87 N, for sponges calcined.