Functionalization of Consumer Grade Fabric for Atmospheric Carbon Capture Proposal

Abstract

Primary amines contribute to a well-studied mechanism for capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This thesis describes two approaches to grafting amine-containing monomers to three commercial-grade fabrics: polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, and Nylon 6. Initially, two monomers, allylamine and butenylamine, were chosen and evaluated for their sorbent capabilities. After con firming the selected monomers chemisorb CO2, six novel copolymers, composed of each of the three fabrics grafted with one of each monomer, were synthesized through two unique single-step fabrication processes, though both rely on free radical addition polymerization of the monomers. In the first synthesis method, electron beam radiation created the free radicals necessary for grafting. In the second, nitroxide and peroxide chemical initiators created the free radicals. This chemically initiated graft polymerization process resulted in qualitatively successful monomer attachment. All copolymers synthesized via radiation-induced graft polymerization achieved greater grafting with butenylamine compared to allylamine, likely given the closer proximity of the primary amine to the radical on the latter's structure. Characterization of CO2 capacity, the figure of merit for sorbency, revealed not only that the majority of the grafted amines likely reacted to adsorb CO2, but secondary physical mechanisms also contribute to CO2 abstraction. Additionally, economic and environmental analyses were conducted to quantitatively determine the viability of the manufacture of consumer-grade CO2 sorbents, both in terms of cost and CO2-capturing efficacy.