Palladium nanoparticles decorated graphite nanoplatelets for room temperature carbon dioxide adsorption

In order to counteract the greater level of green house gases including CO2, adsorption process has been found as one of the solution. Present work focuses on the high pressure CO2 adsorption study of nanocomposite comprising of Pd nanoparticles decorated graphite nanoplatelets (GNP). Graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) were prepared by acid intercalation followed by thermal exfoliation. Functionalized graphite nanoplatelets (f-GNP) were prepared by further treatment of GNP in acidic medium. Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were decorated over f-GNP surface by chemical method. Nanocomposite was characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction pattern. BET measurement, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy techniques. The CO2 adsorption capacity was measured using high pressure Seiverts' apparatus by incorporating van der Waals corrections and adsorption of CO2 was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. A remarkable enhancement of 15-20% is obtained in CO2 adsorption by decorating Pd nanoparticles over functionalized graphite nanoplatelets. Dubinin-Radushkevitch (DR) equation is applied to the adsorption isotherm at room temperature and the results have been discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.