Adsorption of carbon dioxide by solution-plasma-synthesized heteroatom-doped carbon nanospheres

Porous carbon nanospheres (CNSs) synthesized by a plasma-in-liquid technique were applied as an adsorbent for CO2 adsorption. Two different types of aromatic solvents, benzene and pyridine, were used as precursors to generate CNSs. The prepared CNSs were carbonized and then activated with CO2 to obtain carbon materials with a suitable porous structure for CO2 adsorption. To improve CO2 adsorption capacity, activated CNSs were then chemically modified using different approaches of surface treatment, namely, HNO3 oxidation, amination without HNO3 preoxidation, and amination with HNO3 preoxidation. The CO2 adsorption capacities of the samples were investigated at 1 atm and 40 degrees C using a simultaneous thermal analyzer. It was found that the CO2 adsorption of CNSs was enhanced through the development of textural properties. All of the surface treatment approaches led to the increase in CO2 adsorption capacity of the activated CNSs owing to the presence of nitrogen or oxygen functional groups introduced onto the carbon surface during the treatment. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics