CO2 adsorption over Si-MCM-41 materials having basic sites created by postmodification with La2O3.

Moderate basic sites could be created onto mesoporous Si-MCM-41 materials by postsynthesis modification with highly dispersed La2O3. The La2O3-modified MCM-41 materials (designated here as LaM) have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N2 adsorption/desorption and have been tested as model adsorbents for CO2 adsorption. XRD and N2 adsorption results showed that all LaM materials still maintained their uniform hexagonal mesoporous structure even after postsynthesis modification with La2O3 loading up to 20 wt %. Although the surface area, pore size, and pore volume of LaM materials decreased with increasing La2O3 loading, their capacity for CO2 storage could be significantly improved when La2O3 loading was increased from 0 to 10 wt %. Unidentate and bidentate carbonates have been identified by in situ FTIR as the two types of CO2 species adsorbed on LaM surface. The LaM material also possesses good thermal stability, allowing the model adsorbent to be regenerated at high temperature and recyclable.