Investigating The Performance Of 3-D Printed Sorbents For Direct Air Capture Of CO2

• Other Authors: Obeng-Ampomah, Terry (Author)
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Mechanical engineering; Climate change; 3D printing; Climate Change; CO2 capture; Ion Exchange Resin; Photopolymer Resin; Stereolithography
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.57325

abstract: In this study, the stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing method is used to manufacture honeycomb-shaped flat sorbents that can capture CO2 from the air. The 3D-printed sorbents were synthesized using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), propylene glycol, photopolymer resin, and an ion exchange resin (IER). The one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) design-of-experiment approach was employed to determine the best combination ratio of materials to achieve high moisture swing and a good turnout of printed sorbents. The maximum load limit of the liquid photopolymer resin to enable printability of sorbents was found to be 44%. A series of moisture swing experiments was conducted to investigate the adsorption and desorption performance of the 3D-printed sorbents and compare them with the performance of IER samples prepared by a conventional approach. Results from these experiments conducted indicate that the printed sorbents showed less CO2 adsorptive characteristics compared to the conventional IER sample. It is proposed for future research that a liquid photopolymer resin made up of an IER be synthesized in order to improve the CO2-capturing ability of manufactured sorbents. === Dissertation/Thesis === Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2020