Fluid Acquisition System and Method Using Crosslinked Binders - Patent application

Abstract

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a system. The system includes a substrate and a fluid acquisition material formed on one or more surfaces of the substrate. The fluid acquisition material includes an adsorbent that binds one or more fluids, the one or more fluids including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof. The fluid acquisition material also includes one or more binder materials, the binder materials being at least partially crosslinked.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to techniques for capturing one or more target fluids. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to the use of a combination or mixture of a binder and an adsorbent to form a fluid capture material or coating. [Background technology]

[0002] In certain industrial systems, various fluids, such as water and carbon dioxide (CO2), may be produced during the operation of the industrial system. In some cases, the fluids are emitted as exhaust gases or are not utilized. Certain components of the industrial system (e.g., substrates) can include coatings that can capture or extract the fluids. [Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research and Surveys]

[0003] This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. HR001-21-C-0020 awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Contract No. DE-FE0031956 awarded by the Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2024082815 Summary of the Invention

[0005] Certain embodiments commensurate with the scope of the claims as originally filed are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present technology; rather, these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the present technology. Indeed, the present systems and methods may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0006] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a system. The system includes a substrate and a fluid acquisition material formed on one or more surfaces of the substrate. The fluid acquisition material includes an adsorbent that binds one or more fluids, including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof. The fluid acquisition material includes one or more binder materials, the binder materials being at least partially crosslinked.

[0007] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a method. The method includes: providing a sorbent material that binds one or more fluids, including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof. The method also includes providing one or more binder materials, where the one or more binder materials include components capable of forming a crosslinked polymer. Further, the method includes providing a crosslinker. Further, the method includes forming a sorbent-binder material based on the sorbent material, the one or more binder materials, and the crosslinker. Further, the method includes applying the sorbent-binder material to a substrate and forming a fluid-acquisition material using the sorbent-binder material applied to the substrate, where the fluid-acquisition material includes a crosslinked polymer.

[0008] In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a system. The system includes a fluid capture material that binds one or more fluids. The fluid capture material includes an adsorbent configured to bind one or more fluids including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof. The fluid capture material also includes a binder material, the binder material being at least partially crosslinked. Further, the fluid capture material includes an air contactor having one or more surfaces coated with the fluid capture material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a process for capturing a target fluid using a fluid capture system having one or more substrates according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an embodiment for producing a fluid acquisition material using the binder and adsorbent combination used in the fluid acquisition system of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a substrate coated with the fluid acquisition material of FIG. 2 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a graph showing measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration versus time of a fluid stream directed at a substrate having a fluid acquisition material according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 1 is a visual flow diagram illustrating the operation of a fluid acquisition system having one or more substrates coated with a fluid acquisition material according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 is a graph showing weight gain versus time for a substrate having a fluid acquisition material exposed to a fluid flow in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described herein. It should be understood that the development of such an actual implementation, like any engineering or design project, involves numerous implementation-specific decisions that may vary from implementation to implementation in order to achieve the developer's particular goals, including compliance with system-related and business-related constraints. Moreover, it should be understood that such a development effort may be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0011] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "one example" of the present disclosure are not intended to exclude the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the referenced features.

[0012] As used herein, the term "about" or "approximately" is intended to mean that the indicated value is not exact and that the actual value may differ from the indicated value in a manner that does not materially alter the operation. For example, as used herein, the term "about" or "approximately" is intended to convey an approximate value that is within a particular manufacturing or operating tolerance (e.g., ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, ±0.5%), as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0013] As generally discussed herein, certain systems (e.g., gas turbines) that generate one or more fluids (e.g., water and / or CO2) may include one or more substrates having a surface coating that couples the one or more fluids, thereby extracting or capturing the one or more fluids from a source fluid (e.g., an exhaust gas stream, an ambient air stream, etc.). For example, the system may include a combustion system that utilizes a fuel source (e.g., a fossil fuel). Accordingly, one or more substrates of the combustion system may include a surface coating capable of extracting carbon dioxide. As another non-limiting example, the system may generally include a water capture system that includes a surface coating capable of extracting water from the ambient air. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to capture at least a portion of the fluids to address mandates by certain entities (e.g., government regulations) and / or to utilize the one or more fluids, such as by venting or otherwise releasing the fluids into the surrounding airspace or other nearby environment.

[0014] The present disclosure is directed to techniques for improving the efficiency of capturing or extracting specific fluids from fluid streams by using adsorbent materials (e.g., adsorbent components) and crosslinkable binder materials to form fluid-capturing materials or coatings and crosslinking the binder materials (e.g., using a crosslinker). As described in more detail herein, adsorbent materials generally include materials capable of binding specific fluids, such as carbon dioxide (CO), water (HO), oxygen (O), or other gas molecules that may be formed as a result of decomposition reactions (e.g., combustion). For example, adsorbent materials may include metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and / or covalent organic frameworks (COFs). In some embodiments, adsorbent materials may include polymeric resins, silica, zeolites, and other materials capable of capturing fluids as discussed herein. The binder material may include one or more materials that may prevent, reduce, or mitigate decomposition or dissolution of the adsorbent material (i.e., improve stability). As described in further detail herein, it is now recognized that the use of an adsorbent material and a crosslinked binder material to form a fluid acquisition material can provide an improved ability to bind fluids (e.g., in a reversible or irreversible manner) compared to conventional fluid-binding materials or coatings.

[0015] More specifically, the disclosed fluid acquisition materials or coatings can be formed by crosslinking a binder material capable of forming a crosslinked polymer. In at least some embodiments, the disclosed fluid acquisition materials can include a portion (e.g., weight %) that is a crosslinked polymer (e.g., a crosslinked binder material). By way of example, such a portion can be less than 20 weight %, between 1 and 15 weight %, between 5 and 10 weight %, or less than 10 weight %, based on the total weight of the fluid acquisition material. Generally, crosslinked polymers can be formed using thermal techniques, radiation techniques (e.g., illumination with ultraviolet (UV) light), and / or chemical techniques (e.g., the use of crosslinking agents via radical polymerization or condensation reactions). In embodiments in which a crosslinking agent is used, the fluid acquisition material can also include the crosslinking agent. That is, the crosslinking agent can be present in the fluid acquisition material. Fluid acquisition materials comprising crosslinked polymers (e.g., fluid acquisition materials formed using crosslinked polymers) can result in fluid acquisition materials with relatively low amounts of binder material (e.g., less than 15%, less than 12%, less than 10%, less than 8%, less than 5% by weight) compared to fluid acquisition materials formed using relatively high amounts of adsorbent (e.g., binders or polymers that are not crosslinked and / or cannot be crosslinked). Thus, increasing the amount of adsorbent increases the amount of adsorbent in the fluid acquisition material, improving the fluid binding capacity of the fluid acquisition material. Furthermore, by forming the fluid acquisition material from crosslinked polymers, the disclosed fluid acquisition materials can have improved adhesion or bonding to substrates (e.g., metal substrates, polymer substrates (e.g., glass-filled nylon), polymer composite substrates, etc.), as well as improved stability or resistance to dissolution.

[0016] With this in mind, FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a process 10 for capturing or extracting a fluid from a fluid stream. As shown, a fluid capture system 12 receives a fluid from a fluid source 14. Generally, the fluid source 14 may include an exhaust fluid stream (e.g., an exhaust gas stream) and / or ambient air. As described herein, the fluid source 14 may include one or more target fluids (e.g., one or more target gases) that may be desirable to capture or otherwise extract or separate from the exhaust fluid stream. For example, it may be desirable to capture certain combustion products. That is, in some cases, it may be desirable to capture CO to reduce CO emissions into the environment (e.g., pursuant to certain regulations). Additionally or alternatively, it may be desirable to capture HO to reduce the water content of an air stream. As another non-limiting example, certain sulfur oxides (SO ) produced from exhaust gases may be captured. x In any event, it may be advantageous to capture one or more target fluids 18 from the fluid source 14. In any event, the fluid capture system 12 typically receives a fluid from a fluid source 14, and one or more substrates 16 of the fluid capture system 12 extract one or more target fluids 18 from the fluid of the fluid source 14, thereby producing a purified gas stream 20.

[0017] In certain embodiments, the fluid capture system 12 can be provided as part of a gas turbine system, a chemical production system, or other system that generates a fluid stream (e.g., a gas stream, an exhaust stream) having gas molecules that may be desirable to capture. As shown, the fluid capture system 12 can include one or more substrates 16. As described herein, the substrate 16 can include a semi-permeable material capable of binding a particular fluid (i.e., a target fluid 18 or gas) or a coating formed of a material (e.g., allowing a particular gas to permeate through the substrate). For example, the coating can be a fluid capture material formed using an adsorbent material and a binder material capable of forming a cross-linked polymer.

[0018] As described herein, the fluid acquisition material may improve the amount of target fluid 18 extracted from the fluid source 14 and / or may have improved stability compared to certain coatings used to extract fluid from the fluid source 14. To illustrate this, Figure 2 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a process 30 for creating air contact with a fluid acquisition material.

[0019] To begin process 30, at block 32, a sorbent material 34, a binder material 36, and a crosslinker 37 are used to produce a sorbent-binder material 38. Generally, using the sorbent material 34, the binder material 36, and the crosslinker may involve forming a mixture, such as a solution or slurry, containing the sorbent material 34 and the binder material 36 in a suitable solvent capable of dissolving at least a portion of the sorbent material and / or the binder material. Examples of such solvents include, but are not limited to, toluene, ethyl acetate, ethanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethyl acetate, water, isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone, or any combination thereof (i.e., in the case of miscible solvents). As discussed herein, the crosslinker 37 may include certain chemical crosslinkers. As such, the crosslinker 37 may also be added to the mixture of the sorbent material 34 and the binder material 36. In some embodiments, the crosslinker 37 may be added after the mixture of the sorbent material 34 and the binder material 36 is formed. For example, in embodiments in which binder material 36 is a polymeric material, crosslinker 37 may be added after a time corresponding to an appropriate degree of polymerization of binder material 36 (e.g., after polymerization of binder material 36 has begun). However, in certain embodiments, crosslinker 37 may be added before polymerization of binder material 36 has begun.

[0020] The adsorbent material 34 is generally a material capable of adsorbing fluids such as water and / or CO2. In some embodiments, the adsorbent material 34 may include metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and / or covalent organic frameworks (COFs). For example, the adsorbent material may include iron-based MOFs, zirconium-based MOFs (e.g., MOF-808, such as MOF-808-Gly), aluminum-based MOFs (e.g., MOF-303, MIL-160), zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), amine-containing MOFs, other MOFs, amine-containing COFs, ZIFs, silica, etc., capable of adsorbing fluids as described herein. In some embodiments, the adsorbent material 34 may include a polymeric resin, silica, zeolite, or a combination thereof.

[0021] The binder material 36 can include one or more oligomeric or polymeric materials, polymerizable monomeric or oligomeric materials, or combinations thereof. In at least some embodiments, the binder material 36 can improve the affinity of the adsorbent material 34 for binding a particular gas or vapor and / or improve the stability (e.g., heat resistance) of the adsorbent material 34. In some embodiments, the binder material 36 can include a material that forms a polymer with a heat resistance of about 200°C. In some embodiments, the binder material 36 can include a silicon-containing polymer or binder (e.g., a siloxane or silane such as aminopropylsilsesquioxane, aminoethylaminopropylsilsesquioxane, or an alkyloxysilane), a vinyl polymer (e.g., a polyvinyl ester such as polyvinyl acetate; polyvinyl alcohol), and copolymers thereof such as polyvinyl butyral. In some embodiments, the binder material 36 can include a polysaccharide (e.g., ethyl cellulose, starch, and alkyl cellulose), a nitrogen-containing polymer (e.g., polyethyleneimine (PEI)), or the like. In some embodiments, binder material 36 can include a combination of the polymers described above (i.e., two, three, four, or more than four polymers). For example, binder material 36 can be a "hybrid binder mixture." As referred to herein, a "hybrid binder mixture" can include a mixture or blend of different types of binder materials, such as a mixture of an organic polymer and a silsesquioxane binder, or other combinations of binder materials described herein. In at least some embodiments, binder material 36 can be selected to enhance the adsorption of target fluids into coatings (e.g., fluid acquisition materials) produced using adsorbent material 34. For example, in embodiments in which PEI is used as the binder material, the PEI can be selected from PEI-low (e.g., an M between about 20,000 g / mol and about 25,000 g / mol). W , and M between about 8,000 g / mol and about 12,000 g / mol n ) or PEI-high (e.g., M Wis between approximately 70,000 g / mol and 80,000 g / mol, M n between approximately 55,000 g / mol and 65,000 g / mol).

[0022] As described herein, the binder material 36 may be a crosslinkable polymeric material. That is, it is now recognized that by forming a fluid acquisition material in which at least a portion of the polymer portion of the adsorbent-binder material 38 is a crosslinked polymer, the likelihood of decomposition and / or dissolution of the adsorbent material 34 may be reduced. Furthermore, the use of a crosslinked polymer may enable the fluid acquisition material to bind a relatively greater amount of adsorbent material to the target fluid 18 and, therefore, may have a higher fluid binding capacity compared to a coating formed without the use of a crosslinked polymer. Stated differently, conventional techniques for combining an adsorbent material 34 with a binder material 36 may result in a fluid-binding material with a relatively lower fluid binding capacity compared to the adsorbent material (e.g., due to a dilution effect or knockdown effect). It is now recognized that crosslinking the binder material 36 may produce a fluid acquisition coating or material with a relatively higher binding capacity compared to a coating in which the binder material 36 is not crosslinked. Furthermore, the binding capacity of the disclosed fluid acquisition coatings or materials (i.e., including cross-linked binder materials) can have a binding capacity approximately equal to that of the adsorbent material 34 itself (e.g., adsorbent material 34 in powder form).

[0023] In one embodiment, the binder material 36 includes a material capable of self-crosslinking. For example, the binder material 36 may include silanol (SiOH) and / or alkoxysilane (SiOR) functional groups. It should be noted that binder materials 36 including such functional groups may undergo intermolecular condensation reactions that crosslink the binder material 36 upon heating. For example, it is currently recognized that amine-containing components (e.g., amine-containing MOFs) may crosslink certain binder materials 36 (e.g., epoxy resins). As another non-limiting example, amine-containing components may crosslink certain Si-O polymeric structures, such as silsesquioxanes, thereby forming crosslinked Si-O polymeric structures (e.g., amine-impregnated silica).

[0024] In one embodiment, the binder material comprises a polyvinyl alcohol polymer. Suitable polyvinyl alcohol polymers include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol homopolymers and polyvinyl alcohol copolymers. In one embodiment, the binder polymer composition comprises a polyvinyl alcohol-polyvinyl amine copolymer (PVA-PVAm) containing a first crosslinkable functional group and a second crosslinkable functional group. While derivatives of polyvinyl alcohol are suitable for the practice of the present invention, other polymeric materials may be used in the binder polymer composition, including, but not limited to, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyhydroxyethyl methacrylates, and functionalized polyarylenes containing amine, carboxylic acid, amide, or hydroxyl moieties. In one embodiment, the binder polymer composition used in the preparation of the fluid acquisition material comprises at least one polymer having a number average molecular weight greater than about 2500 Daltons. In another embodiment, the binder polymer composition used in the preparation of the fluid acquisition material comprises at least one polymer having a number average molecular weight ranging from greater than 2500 Daltons to about 500,000 Daltons. In yet another embodiment, the binder polymer composition used in the preparation of the fluid acquisition material comprises at least one hydrophilic polymer having a number average molecular weight in the range of about 75,000 Daltons to about 250,000 Daltons. 1It can be determined by a variety of techniques known to those skilled in the art, including 1 H-NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).

[0025] As mentioned above, the binder material 36 may include a mixture of crosslinkable polymeric materials. For example, the binder material 36 may include a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA). For example, the mixture may include 10% by weight PVA and 90% by weight PAA, 30% by weight PVA and 70% by weight PAA, 50% by weight PVA and 50% by weight PAA, 70% by weight PVA and 30% by weight PAA, or 90% by weight PVA and 10% by weight PAA.

[0026] In some embodiments, the binder material 36 can be dissolved in a solvent to a certain viscosity. For example, in an embodiment in which the binder material 36 comprises ethyl cellulose, the binder material 36 may comprise a 7-15 cP solution in a 6% toluene in ethanol solution. The resulting slurry may comprise 30% solids, 11% binder when dissolved in a 1:1 toluene:2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethyl acetate solvent. As another non-limiting example, in an embodiment in which the binder material 36 comprises ethyl cellulose, the binder material 36 may comprise an approximately 300 cP solution in a 5% toluene in ethanol solution.

[0027] Generally, the amount of crosslinker 37 may be less than the amount of binder material 36. In some embodiments, the ratio of crosslinker 37 added to binder material 36 to form adsorbent-binder composite 38 may be less than about 1 / 3, less than about 1 / 4, less than about 1 / 5, or less than about 1 / 6. For example, adsorbent-binder composite 38 may be formed by combining a 10% by weight solution of binder material 36 with a 2% by weight solution of crosslinker 37 (i.e., the ratio of crosslinker 37 to binder material 36 is 1 / 5).

[0028] It should be noted that in at least some embodiments, crosslinker 37 can also be binder material 36. That is, crosslinker 37 can be a crosslinkable polymer. For example, PAA can be used as a crosslinker for PVA.

[0029] As described herein, crosslinker 37 crosslinks binder material 36. In some embodiments, the degree of crosslinking (i.e., crosslink density, which refers to the density of chains or segments connecting two portions of a polymer network, rather than the density of crosslink junctions) may be greater than 10%, greater than 20%, greater than 30%, greater than 40%, greater than 50%, greater than 60%, greater than 70%, greater than 80%, or greater than 90%.

[0030] With respect to the sorbent-binder material 38 (e.g., the sorbent-binder composite), the amounts of binder material 36 and sorbent material 34 can be such that the sorbent-binder material 38 comprises more than 50% of the sorbent material, more than 60% of the sorbent material, more than 70% of the sorbent material, more than 80% of the sorbent material 34, more than 85% of the sorbent material 34, or more than 90% of the sorbent material 34.

[0031] A wide variety of crosslinkers can be used to react with the binder, and these crosslinkers may be monomers, oligomers, or polymers, or combinations of the foregoing. In some embodiments, crosslinker 37 may include a chemical crosslinker, such as an epoxy or anhydride. In some embodiments, crosslinker 37 may include one or more materials, such as nanoparticles, micron-sized particles, or larger-sized particles, or molecular precursors capable of forming particles. For example, the crosslinker may include silica particles, such as colloidal silica; or tetraalkoxysilanes capable of forming silica particles. In some embodiments, crosslinker 37 may include particles with different size distributions. That is, crosslinker 37 may include particles with a first size distribution and a second size distribution. For example, crosslinker 37 may have a micron-sized distribution. In some embodiments, crosslinker 37 may have a nano-sized distribution and a micron-sized distribution (i.e., a bimodal size distribution). In at least some embodiments, a bimodal size distribution may improve abrasion resistance. In embodiments in which crosslinker 37 includes particles with different size distributions, the mixture of particles may be different. For example, the mixture can include 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, etc., by weight of nano-sized particles and 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, etc., by weight of micron-sized particles. In embodiments in which crosslinker 37 includes particles (e.g., micron-sized particles, nanoparticles, or larger particles), the particles may have a distribution of shapes. For example, crosslinker 37 may include micron-sized particles that are 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% spherical. In at least some embodiments, the combination of particle shapes (e.g., spherical) and different size distributions may improve the properties of the resulting fluid acquisition materials discussed herein.

[0032] In some embodiments, the crosslinker 37 comprises functional groups that are susceptible to the formation of free radicals resulting from exposure to high-energy radiation (e.g., ultraviolet light or an electron beam) and / or heat. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the structure of a free radical determines its reactivity, and that the structure of the crosslinker can be selected to provide greater or lesser levels of chemical reactivity of the free radicals generated from such crosslinkable functional groups upon exposure to radiation or heat. In one embodiment, the crosslinker comprises functional groups capable of forming secondary or tertiary aliphatic or alicyclic radicals. In another alternative embodiment, the crosslinker comprises functional groups capable of forming aromatic radicals, such as benzyl radicals. Other crosslinkable functional groups include methacrylates, acrylates, acrylamides, vinyl ketones, styrenes, vinyl ethers, vinyl groups, allyl groups, benzyl groups, and groups containing tertiary carbon-hydrogen bonds, such as isobutyl groups.

[0033] Suitable cross-linking agents 37 include, but are not limited to, methacrylate, acrylate, and vinyl ketone reagents that can be covalently bonded to the binder material or that can themselves form cross-linked polymers upon exposure to high-energy radiation or heat. For example, suitable crosslinkers include, but are not limited to, the reagents acryloyl chloride, (2E)-2-butenoyl chloride, maleic anhydride, 2(5H)-furanone, methyl acrylate, 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one, ethyl acrylate, methyl crotonate, allyl acrylate, vinyl crotonate, 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, methacrylic anhydride, methacryloyl chloride, glycidyl methacrylate, 2-ethylacryloyl chloride, 3-methylenedihydro-2(3H)-furanone, 3-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, methyl 2-methylacrylate, methyl trans-2-methoxyacrylate, citraconic anhydride, itaconic anhydride, methyl (2E)-2-methyl-2-butenoate, ethyl 2-methylacrylate, ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate, dimethyl maleic anhydride, Allyl 2-methyl acrylate, ethyl (2E)-2-methyl-2-butenoate, ethyl 2-ethyl acrylate, methyl (2E)-2-methyl-2-pentenoate, 2-hydroxyethyl 2-methyl acrylate, methyl 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)acrylate, 3-(methacryloyloxy)propyl trimethoxysilane, 3-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl methacrylate, 3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl 2-methyl acrylate, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl 2-methyl acrylate, 3-tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl methacrylate, 6-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta(c)furan-1,3(4H)-dione, methyl 2-cyano-3-methylcrotonate, trans-2,3-dimethylacrylic acid, and N-(hydroxymethyl)acrylamide.

[0034] Suitable vinyl and allylic reagents that may function as crosslinkers include, but are not limited to, allyl bromide, allyl chloride, diketene, 5-methylenedihydro-2(3H)-furanone, 3-methylenedihydro-2(3H)-furanone, 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether, and 4-methoxy-2(5H)-furanone.

[0035] Suitable isocyanate reagents that may function as crosslinkers include, but are not limited to, vinyl isocyanate, allyl isocyanate, furfuryl isocyanate, 1-ethyl-4-isocyanatobenzene, 1-ethyl-3-isocyanatobenzene, 1-(isocyanatomethyl)-3-methylbenzene, 1-isocyanato-3,5-dimethylbenzene, 1-bromo-2-isocyanatoethane, (2-isocyanatoethyl)benzene, 1-(isocyanatomethyl)-4-methylbenzene, 1-(isocyanatomethyl)-3-methylbenzene, 1-(isocyanatomethyl)-2-methylbenzene, and the like.

[0036] Suitable styrenic reagents that can function as cross-linking agents include, but are not limited to, 3-vinylbenzaldehyde, 4-vinylbenzaldehyde, 4-vinylbenzyl chloride, trans-cinnamoyl chloride, phenylmaleic anhydride, 4-hydroxy-3-phenyl-2(5H)-furanone, and the like.

[0037] Suitable epoxide reagents that can function as crosslinker 37 include, but are not limited to, glycidyl methacrylate, glycidyl vinyl ether, 2-(3-butenyl)oxirane, 3-vinyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane, limonene oxide, and the like.

[0038] In some embodiments, the crosslinker 37 may include multiple (e.g., two, three, or more) different types of functional groups that can facilitate the formation of the fluid acquisition material 44. Generally, the crosslinker 37 may include a first functional group that reacts with the binder material 36 and a second functional group that can crosslink. For example, the crosslinker 37 may include an anhydride functional group and an acrylate functional group, an epoxide functional group and an acrylate functional group, an isocyanate functional group and a methacrylate functional group, etc. As a non-limiting example, the binder material 36 may include poly(vinyl alcohol), and the crosslinker 37 may include 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (2-IEM), which includes both isocyanate and methacrylate functional groups. As another non-limiting example, the binder material 36 may include poly(vinyl butyral), and the crosslinker 37 may include 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane.

[0039] In some embodiments, one or more additives can be added to form the sorbent-binder material 38. For example, the additives can include a dispersant to facilitate suspension formation, such as an anionic dispersant, a cationic dispersant, a nonionic dispersant, a defoamer, a wetting agent, an adhesion promoter, or any combination thereof. For example, suitable anionic dispersants can include polymeric alkoxylates or phosphate esters. For example, suitable nonionic dispersants can include polyurethanes. For example, suitable cationic dispersants can include polyoxyethylene fatty ammonium sulfates. Generally, the amount of dispersant added can be less than the amount of binder material 36. For example, the sorbent-binder material 38 can include 10% by weight of the binder material 36 and 0.5% by weight of the dispersant, 1% by weight of the dispersant, or more than 1% by weight of the dispersant. As another non-limiting example, the sorbent-binder material 38 can include 15% by weight of the binder material 36 and 1% by weight of the dispersant, 3% by weight of the dispersant, or more than 5% by weight of the dispersant. As another non-limiting example, the sorbent-binder material 38 can include 13% by weight of the binder material 36 and 1% by weight of the dispersant, 3% by weight of the dispersant, or greater than 5% by weight of the dispersant. For example, in an exemplary sorbent-binder material 38 in which the binder material 36 is aminopropylsilsesquioxane, the binder material 36 can be formed using a binder solution having 13% by weight of the binder and 2% by weight of the dispersant. The dispersant can be polyethyleneimine (PEI), such as PEI-low (e.g., M W is approximately 20,000 to 25,000 g / mol, M n is approximately 8,000 to 12,000) or PEI-high (e.g., M W is approximately 70,000 to 80,000 g / mol, M n The number of hydroxyl groups may be about 55,000 to 65,000.

[0040] In block 40, a sorbent binder material 38 is deposited on, applied to, integrally formed with (e.g., during manufacturing), or otherwise bonded to the substrate 16, such as on one or more surfaces of the substrate 16, thereby forming a fluid capture coated substrate 42. In some embodiments, the substrate may comprise certain metal substrates (e.g., aluminum, titanium) or 3-D printed metal substrates. For example, the substrate 16 may comprise a fluid contactor having a metal surface. In some embodiments, the substrate 16 comprises a metal alloy (e.g., Inconel or stainless steel). As referred to herein, a "fluid contactor" or "direct fluid contactor" refers to a structure configured to receive a fluid flow, and the structure may comprise a porous and / or semi-porous material such that a portion of the fluid flow may permeate the fluid contactor. In some embodiments, the fluid flow may comprise an ambient air flow. In some embodiments, the fluid flow may comprise an exhaust gas flow or an exhaust gas flow from a power generation device (e.g., a gas turbine). Thus, the binder material 36 may be selected to have a relatively high bond strength to the metal surface.

[0041] In some embodiments, the substrate 16 can be a polymer or polymer composite. Polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polystyrene, substituted polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyacrylonitrile), polyamides, polyesters, polysulfones, polyethers, acrylic and methacrylic polymers, polystyrene, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyesters (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate), polyethersulfones, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyphenylene sulfones, cellulosic polymers, polyphenylene oxides, polyamides (e.g., nylon, polyphenylene terephthalamide), and combinations of two or more of the foregoing polymers can be utilized as the substrate. Fluoropolymers that can be used as the substrate include, but are not limited to, ePTFE, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) (FEP), poly(ethylene-altetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether) (PFA), polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-co-HFP), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF).

[0042] Generally, depositing the adsorbent binder material 38 on the substrate 16 can include curing the adsorbent binder material 38 with the crosslinker 37, thereby forming a polymer-adsorbent composite fluid acquisition material 44 or coating. Stated differently, the fluid acquisition material 44 refers to an adsorbent-binder material 38 in which the binder material 36 has been crosslinked via one or more crosslinkers 37. As described herein, crosslinking the adsorbent-binder material 38 can provide a material and / or coating (i.e., the fluid acquisition material 44) with relatively higher structural integrity than if the adsorbent-binder material 38 were not crosslinked. Furthermore, crosslinking the adsorbent binder material 38 can provide a material and / or coating with relatively higher fluid binding capacity.

[0043] It should be noted that in at least some embodiments, the sorbent binder material 38 may be deposited multiple times onto the substrate 16. It is now recognized that, in at least some embodiments, depositing relatively thick layers (e.g., greater than 1 mm, greater than 2 mm, or greater than 5 mm) may result in a fluid acquisition material 44 (e.g., a fluid acquisition material or fluid acquisition coating) with one or more cracks. Therefore, to reduce, prevent, or mitigate cracking (e.g., mudcracking), it may be advantageous to deposit multiple layers to ultimately form a fluid acquisition material 44 having a desired thickness (e.g., between 0.1 mm and 0.9 mm, between 1.1 mm and 1.3 mm, between 0.1 mm and 2.0 mm, between 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm). For example, the fluid acquisition material 44 may include three layers and have a total thickness of 1.2 mm. As another non-limiting example, the fluid acquisition material may include six layers and have a total thickness of 3 mm. For example, to deposit multiple layers, the process 30 may include depositing a first amount of sorbent-binder material 38, curing the first amount of sorbent-binder material to form a first layer, and repeating the steps one or more times to form one or more additional layers, thereby forming a fluid acquisition material having multiple layers (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). In some embodiments, a first layer of fluid acquisition material 44 may be pre-wetted before adding a second layer. Generally, pre-wetting involves providing a suitable solvent, such as toluene, ethanol, water, or a combination thereof, to the first layer. After pre-wetting the first layer, a second layer may be formed on the pre-wetted first layer. Generally, the second layer may be formed in a manner generally similar to that described for the first layer.

[0044] In some embodiments, the total thickness of the fluid acquisition material or coating may be less than 1 mm. For example, the total thickness may be between 0.1 mm and 0.9 mm, between 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm, between 0.2 and 0.7 mm, between 0.3 and 0.6 mm, or between 0.4 mm and 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, each layer of fluid acquisition material 44 may have the same thickness, such that the thickness formed for each layer (e.g., as described with respect to FIG. 2) is total thickness / n, where “n” is the number of layers formed. In some embodiments, one or more layers of fluid acquisition material 44 may have different thicknesses. For example, each subsequently formed layer may have a thinner thickness than the preceding layer. Alternatively, each subsequently formed layer may have a thicker thickness than the preceding layer.

[0045] As described herein, a fluid capture material 44 can be deposited on one or more surfaces of a substrate 16, such as an air contactor. To illustrate this, FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a substrate 16 including a fluid capture material 44 (i.e., a fluid capture coated substrate 42). In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate 16 is a material formed using additive printing. Furthermore, as illustrated, the fluid capture material 44 generally includes one or more flow channels 46 that penetrate a portion of the fluid capture material 44. Generally, the adsorbent material 34 can form a porous material. Thus, one or more flow channels 46 can also be formed in the fluid capture material 44.

[0046] As shown, each channel 46 generally includes a wall 48 having a fluid capture material 44 bonded to its surface. In this manner, gas flowing through the channels of the fluid capture coated substrate 42 can contact the fluid capture material 44, thus facilitating bonding of the target fluid (e.g., CO2) with the fluid capture material 44.

[0047] As described herein, the disclosed fluid capture materials 44 can have relatively high fluid binding capacities (e.g., water capacity and / or CO2 capacity). Table 1 shows CO2 capacity measurements for specific substrates coated with the fluid capture materials 44. Generally, the fluid capture materials 44 corresponding to Table 1 were doctor blade coated onto 2-inch x 2-inch Inconel 718 coupons and evaluated for CO2 capture performance (e.g., CO2 capacity) at 0.04 kPa. Samples of the MOF-binder composite materials were evaluated in aluminum weighing pans to establish film cure conditions, preliminary film structural integrity, and ambient sorption measurements. An exemplary process for coating coupons with a slurry (i.e., adsorbent-binder material 38) involves mixing MOF powder (i.e., adsorbent material 34) with a suitable binder material 36, wetting agent, additive, and solvent in a container. The mixture is vortexed for 1-2 minutes and then sonicated in an ultrasonic bath at 72 kHz for 20 minutes. The slurry is then coated onto the substrate 16 using a doctor blade with an appropriate gap (10-50 mils, 254-1270 μm) and allowed to dry under ambient conditions. If coating an aluminum pan, the slurry is added to the pan using a plastic pipette, the pan is tilted to cover the bottom, and the pan or coupon is allowed to dry under ambient conditions. After drying, the pan or coupon is cured and activated under appropriate conditions.

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049] Table 1 shows examples of fluid capture materials 44 that can be used to capture CO2. Generally, Table 1 shows the CO2 capacity of a control (e.g., Example 1) compared to samples including a fluid capture material 44 formed with a sorbent material (i.e., MOF-808-Gly) and a crosslinkable binder material (e.g., Examples 2 and 3). More specifically, Example 1 includes the sorbent material MOF-808-Gly in powder form without being deposited on a coupon. The CO2 capacity of Example 1 at 20°C and 20% RH (400 ppm CO2 in N2) is 0.3 mmol / g.

[0050] Examples 2 and 3 illustrate fluid capture materials 44 formed using an adsorbent material and a binder material that is ultimately crosslinked. More specifically, Example 2 is a fluid capture material 44 having an adsorbent material 34 (e.g., MOF-808-Gly) and a crosslinkable binder material 36 (e.g., aminopropylsilsesquioxane). To prepare Example 2, a slurry was prepared by mixing 2.44 g of a 25% aqueous solution of aminopropylsilsesquioxane, 17.6 g of deionized water, 0.12 g of Triton™ X-100, and 5.1 g of MOF-808-Gly. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto a 2-inch x 2-inch Inconel coupon, dried, and cured overnight at 120°C under vacuum. A high-quality coating was obtained with an equilibrium CO2 uptake (e.g., CO2 capacity) of 0.37 mmol / g when exposed to 400 ppm CO2 in a N2 gas stream at 20°C and 20% RH.

[0051] Example 3 is a fluid acquisition material 44 comprising an adsorbent material 34 (e.g., MOF-808-Gly), a binder material 36 (e.g., PVA), and a crosslinker 37 (e.g., PAA). To prepare Example 3, a slurry was prepared by mixing 1.55 g of an aqueous solution of 15% PVA (e.g., 88% hydrolyzed) and 3% PAA, 5.2 g of deionized water, ~3 mg of Triton™ X-100, and 2.5 g of MOF-808-Gly. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto a 2" x 2" Inconel coupon, dried, and cured overnight at 125°C under vacuum. This fluid acquisition material exhibited a score of 3B in the ASTM D3359-17 adhesion test and an equilibrium CO2 uptake of 0.38 mmol / g when exposed to 400 ppm CO2 in a N2 gas stream at 20°C and 75% RH. Generally, Examples 2 and 3 illustrate two cross-linked aqueous binder formulations utilized with MOF-808-Gly to form fluid acquisition material 44, which have CO2 binding capacities approximately equal to that of Example 1. Additionally, fluid acquisition material Examples 2 and 3 have good adhesion to substrates.

[0052] In some embodiments, the fluid capture material 44 can be formed using a non-aqueous solvent. For example, another example of a fluid capture material 44 (i.e., Example 4) generally includes an adsorbent material 34 (e.g., MOF-808-Gly) and a crosslinkable silicon-containing binder material 36. First, 1.2 mL of a 0.2 g / mL solution of SPR100 in methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was mixed with 94 mg of disilanol PDS-1615, 53 μL of alkoxysilane SIB1140.0, and 69 mg of Hypermer™-KD1 in a vial. Separately, 3.0 g of MOF-808-Gly was mixed with 5 mL of isopropanol (IPA). The SPR100-containing solution was added to the MOF-808-Gly / IPA suspension. The SPR100 vial was washed with 2 × 0.5 mL of MEK and added to the combined mixture. The slurry was further diluted with 2 mL of IPA to achieve a viscosity suitable for coating. Next, 38 μL of trihexylamine was added to the slurry, and the mixture was coated onto a 2" x 2" Inconel coupon, dried, and cured at 90°C under vacuum for 1 hour. A high-quality coating was obtained, scoring 4A in the ASTM D3359-17 adhesion test.

[0053] As mentioned above, fluid acquisition material 44 can bind water in certain embodiments. Some examples of fluid acquisition materials 44 according to the present disclosure, as well as the performance of such fluid acquisition materials 44, are described below.

[0054] A first example of a water-binding fluid-capturing material 44 can include an adsorbent material 34 (i.e., MOF-303), a binder material 36 (i.e., PVA), and a crosslinker (i.e., PAA) deposited on a metal substrate. More specifically, the first example of a water-binding fluid-capturing material 44 can be prepared by mixing 0.56 g of an aqueous solution of 15% poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA, 88% hydrolyzed] and 3% poly(acrylic acid) [PAA], 2.0 g of deionized water, ~3 mg of AGITAN 351, 1.0 g of MOF-303, and 0.02 g of Tergitol 15-S-7 to form a slurry. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto a 2" x 2" Inconel coupon and cured overnight at 125°C. Testing in a humidity chamber set at 20% RH and 25°C yielded a high-quality coating with good adhesion and an equilibrium water absorption of 26-28%.

[0055] A second example of the water-binding fluid-acquisition material 44 includes an adsorbent material 34 (e.g., MOF-303), a binder material 36 (e.g., PVA), and a crosslinker (e.g., PAA) deposited on a glass-filled nylon coupon (e.g., a glass-filled nylon substrate). More specifically, the second example of the water-binding fluid-acquisition material 44 can be prepared by forming a slurry similar to that described above for the first example of the water-binding fluid-acquisition material 44 and coating the slurry onto a 2-inch by 2-inch glass-filled polyamide (PA12) nylon coupon. The coated sample was allowed to dry at room temperature and then cured overnight at 120°C. After cooling to room temperature, the sample was immersed in water to release air bubbles and gently patted dry. A second layer of the slurry was then coated as before. This process was repeated once more. After final curing at 120°C, the coating weighed 0.9216 g and adhered well to the substrate. The equilibrium water absorption at 20% RH / 25°C was 28%.

[0056] A third example of the water-binding fluid acquisition material 44 includes multiple binder materials 36. For example, the third example of the water-binding fluid acquisition material 44 can include binder materials 36 such as PVA, PAA, and poly(methyl / phenyl silsesquioxane). More specifically, the third example of the water-binding fluid acquisition material 44 can be prepared by mixing 1.78 g of an aqueous solution of 7.5% PVA [80% hydrolyzed] and 1.5% PAA with 3.5 g of deionized water, 0.02 g of DISPERBYK 190, ∼3 mg of AGITAN 351, and 2.0 g of MOF-303. A solution of 0.08 g of Wacker MP-50E silicone emulsion diluted with 0.5 g of deionized water was added to this mixture. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto a 2 inch x 2 inch glass-filled PA12 nylon coupon. After drying at room temperature, the sample was cured at 120 °C for 4 hours. After cooling, the sample was immersed in water to remove air bubbles, patted dry, and coated with another layer of slurry. The drying / curing process was repeated as before. Two more layers of slurry were coated on top of the first two using the same procedure. At the end of this process, the dried / cured coating weighed 1.4946 g. The coating adhered well and was crack-free. The equilibrium water absorption at 20% RH / 25°C was 31-32%.

[0057] A fourth example of a water-binding fluid-acquisition material 44 includes a sorbent material 34, such as MIL-160. To prepare the fourth example water-binding fluid-acquisition material, 2.44 g of an aqueous solution of 13.5% PVA [88% hydrolyzed] and 4.5% PAA was mixed with 5.9 g of deionized water, 0.040 g of DISPERBYK 190, 0.030 g of AGITAN 351, 4.34 g of MIL-160, and 0.050 g of Tergitol 15-S-7. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto a 2" x 2" Inconel coupon. The sample was allowed to dry at room temperature and then dried overnight at 120°C. After cooling, the sample was immersed in water to release air bubbles and then gently patted dry. A second layer of the slurry was applied and cured as before. The second layer did not adhere to the first layer and subsequently peeled off.

[0058] A fifth example of a water-binding fluid acquisition material 44 includes multiple binder materials 36, such as a silicon-containing binder material, PVA, and PAA. It is now recognized that utilizing a hybrid binder material 36 (i.e., two, three, four, or more than four different or distinct binder materials) can improve the adhesion properties of a fluid acquisition material 44 or layer to a substrate and / or to each layer of a multilayer coating. To prepare the fifth example of a water-binding fluid acquisition material, 8.0 g of an aqueous solution of 7.5% PVA (80% hydrolyzed) and 1.5% PAA was mixed with 9.0 g of deionized water, 0.10 g of DISPERBYK 2055, 0.015 g of AGITAN 351, and 8.0 g of MIL-160. To this was added a solution of 0.08 g of Wacker MP-50E silicone emulsion diluted with 2.0 g of deionized water. After mixing, this slurry was used to coat a small Inconel heat exchanger. After drying at room temperature, the sample was cured at 120°C for 2 hours. After cooling, the sample was immersed in water to remove air bubbles, patted dry, and then coated with another layer of slurry. The drying / curing process was then repeated as before. Finally, a third layer was applied as before. A final overnight cure at 120°C yielded 3.1 g of well-adhered coating. The equilibrium water absorption at 20% RH / 25°C was 30-32%.

[0059] It is further recognized that cross-linking the composite coating improves the structural integrity of the fluid acquisition material 44 or coating. To illustrate the improved structural integrity due to the addition of the cross-linking agent 37, two compositions of adsorbent material 34 and binder material 36 were prepared. The first composition is in accordance with the disclosed fluid acquisition material 44 and is therefore formed by cross-linking the binder material 36 (i.e., via the addition of PAA). In the second composition, the binder material 36 is not cross-linked (i.e., no PAA is added). To prepare the first composition, a slurry was prepared by mixing 0.56 g of an aqueous solution of 13.5% poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA, 88% hydrolyzed] and 4.5% poly(acrylic acid) [PAA], 1.4 g of deionized water, 0.02 g of DISPERBYK 190, and 1.0 g of MIL-160. After mixing, the slurry was coated onto 1" x 1" Inconel coupons, dried at room temperature, and cured overnight at 125 °C in a vacuum oven. The coupons were cooled to room temperature in a vacuum desiccator and quickly weighed. They were then immersed in 10 mL of deionized water and placed in a 90 °C oven for 2 hours. At the end of this time, the coupons were removed and dried at 90 °C for 1 hour, followed by another 2 hours in a vacuum oven at 125 °C. Finally, the samples were cooled in a vacuum desiccator and reweighed as before. Weights were as follows: (1) uncoated coupon: 5.0038 g; (2) cured coated coupon: 5.3206 g (i.e., coating weight 0.3168 g); (3) coated coupon after water immersion / drying: 5.3087 g (i.e., coating weight 0.3049 g); and (4) coating weight retention after water immersion: 96.2%.

[0060] To prepare the second composition (i.e., without crosslinker 37), a slurry was prepared by mixing 0.67 g of a 15% aqueous solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) [PVA, 88% hydrolyzed], 1.3 g of deionized water, 0.02 g of DISPERBYK 190, and 1.0 g of MIL-160. After mixing, the slurry was applied to a 1" x 1" Inconel coupon, dried at room temperature, and cured overnight in a vacuum oven at 125 °C. The coupon was cooled to room temperature in a vacuum desiccator and then quickly weighed. It was then immersed in 10 mL of deionized water and placed in a 90 °C oven for 2 hours. Immediately after immersion, the coating began to crumble and flake off the coupon. At the end of this time, the coupon was removed and dried at 90 °C for 1 hour, followed by another 2 hours in a vacuum oven at 125 °C. Finally, the sample was cooled in the vacuum desiccator and reweighed as before. The weights were as follows: (1) uncoated coupon: 5.0320 g; (2) cured coated coupon: 5.1974 g (i.e., coating weight 0.1654 g); (3) coated coupon after water immersion and drying: 5.0573 g (i.e., coating weight 0.0253 g); and (4) coating weight retained after water immersion: 15.3%. Notably, the first composition (i.e., example of fluid acquisition material 44 with a crosslinked binder) contained PAA, and the resulting cured film retained 96% of its mass after immersion in water at 90 °C for 2 hours. In contrast, when the second composition (i.e., PVA without a crosslinker) was used, only 15% of its mass was retained after the same test.

[0061] As described herein, the fluid acquisition material 44 can be formed using a crosslinker 37 with different types of functional groups that can facilitate the formation of the fluid acquisition material 44. To prepare one example of such a composition, 0.30 g of poly(vinyl butyral) was dissolved in 6.0 g of isopropanol. Additionally, 0.065 g of 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, 3.0 g of amine-treated silica adsorbent, and 0.07 g of BYK9076 were mixed. The resulting slurry was coated onto an aluminum coupon using a doctor blade. After drying at room temperature, the sample (e.g., the aluminum coupon coated with the slurry) was placed in an oven at 90°C for 1 hour to cure. CO2 uptake was measured under dry conditions at 25°C using 400 ppm CO2 in nitrogen. The average value was 0.734 mol CO2 / kg coating (0.032 g / g).

[0062] 4 is a graph having a y-axis corresponding to the amount of CO2 (ppm) and an x-axis corresponding to time (minutes (min)). In this example, a fluid acquisition material 44 was formed using a binder material 36 comprising PVA / PAA, as described for Example 3 in Table 1. Additionally, the fluid acquisition material 44 was subjected to a 50 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) fluid flow having 400 ppm CO2 and 75% RH. As generally shown in the graph, CO2 was detected after approximately 170 minutes of flow through the fluid acquisition material or coating.

[0063] As described herein, the fluid capture material 44 is capable of capturing a target fluid, such as HO. In such embodiments, it is now recognized that it may be advantageous to form a fluid capture material 44 that is capable of releasing the captured fluid. To illustrate this, FIG. 5 illustrates a method 60 for capturing a target fluid (e.g., a target fluid 18 as described with respect to FIG. 1) and subsequently releasing the target fluid in a controlled manner (i.e., when it may be desirable to remove the target fluid 18). For example, in embodiments in which the target fluid 18 comprises water, it may be desirable to utilize the disclosed fluid capture material 44 to extract water from a fluid source, such as air, having a relatively high water content (e.g., greater than 500 ppm water), and then release the water, thereby producing pure water.

[0064] Referring to method 60, at block 62, a gas stream 64 is provided to a substrate 16 coated with a fluid acquisition material 44. Water in the gas stream 64 binds to the acquisition coating, thereby producing a dry gas stream 66. At block 68, a heat exchanger 70 is heated (e.g., 80 o Temperatures greater than 85°C o Temperatures greater than 90°C o Temperatures greater than 95°C or o In either case, the water bound to the fluid capture material 44 may be released as steam 72. At block 74, a condenser 76 receives the steam 72 and cools the steam 72 to produce water 78. At block 80, heat may be recovered. In this manner, the fluid capture material 44 may be utilized to extract and, in certain embodiments, release the fluid.

[0065] As described herein, the fluid capture material 44 can include a crosslinker 37 (i.e., used to crosslink the polymers forming the fluid capture material 44). In some embodiments, the crosslinker 37 can include colloidal silica. FIG. 6 shows a graph with an x-axis corresponding to time and a y-axis corresponding to weight gain (%). The graph shows weight gain versus time for gas adsorption coatings using PVA as the binder and MOF as the adsorbent. That is, weight gain versus time is shown for PVA as the binder, silica as the crosslinker, and MOF as the adsorbent (i.e., "PVA + silica + MOF"), and silica and starch as the crosslinker, and MOF as the adsorbent (i.e., "PVA + silica + starch + MOF"). As shown, the fluid capture material with the crosslinker (i.e., thereby having a crosslinked polymer composite matrix) has a relatively high weight gain, corresponding to more target fluid 18 adsorbed by the fluid capture material 44.

[0066] Thus, the present disclosure relates to fluid acquisition materials or coatings that provide improved fluid binding capacity and stability. Fluid acquisition materials or coatings generally include an adsorbent material and a binder material. As described herein, the resulting fluid acquisition materials or coatings may include cross-linked polymers formed from one or more binder materials and specific cross-linking agents, such as UV light, silica, polyacrylic acid, heat, or combinations thereof.

[0067] Technical effects of the present invention include, but are not limited to, improving the capacity and / or capture efficiency of a substrate via a fluid capture material. By providing the disclosed fluid capture material, the amount of certain gases remaining in an exhaust gas stream can be reduced. Furthermore, by forming a fluid capture material that includes a crosslinked polymer, a relatively large amount of adsorbent material can be used compared to the binder material, thereby improving the fluid binding capacity of the fluid capture material.

[0068] This specification uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems, and performing the incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 10 Process 12 Fluid Capture System 14 Fluid source 16 Base material 18 Target fluid 20 purified gas stream 30 Processes 32 blocks 34 Adsorbent Materials 36 Binder materials 37 Crosslinking Agent 38 Adsorbent-Binder Materials 40 blocks 42 Fluid Capture Coating Substrate 44 Fluid entrapment materials 46 Flow path 48 Wall 60 ways 62 blocks 64 Gas Flow 66 Dry Gas Stream 68 blocks 70 Heat exchanger 72 Steam 74 blocks 76 Condenser 78 water 80 blocks

Claims

1. Substrate and The substrate includes a fluid trapping material formed on one or more surfaces of the substrate, The fluid trapping material comprises an adsorbent configured to bind one or more fluids, including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof, A binder material comprising one or more binder materials, wherein the binder material is at least partially crosslinked, system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid trapping material comprises one or more binder materials in an amount of less than 15% by weight.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the adsorbent includes an organometallic structure (MOF), a covalent organic structure (COF), a polymer resin, silica, a zeolite, or a combination thereof.

4. The system according to claim 1, comprising a crosslinking agent, wherein the binder material is at least partially crosslinked with the crosslinking agent, and the crosslinking agent comprises one or more of a methacrylate reagent, an acrylate reagent, a vinyl ketone reagent, a vinyl reagent, or an allyl reagent.

5. The system according to claim 1, comprising a crosslinking agent, wherein the binder material is at least partially crosslinked with the crosslinking agent, and the crosslinking agent comprises polyacrylic acid.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more binder materials include a vinyl polymer, starch, alkylcellulose, or a combination thereof.

7. The system according to claim 1, comprising a crosslinking agent, wherein the binder material is at least partially crosslinked with the crosslinking agent, and the ratio of the crosslinking agent to the binder material is less than 25%.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the fluid trapping material is between 0.1 and 3.5 mm.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid trapping material comprises more than 90% by weight of the adsorption material.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the binder material, which is at least partially crosslinked, has a crosslinking density greater than 10%.

11. To provide an adsorbent configured to bind one or more fluids, including water, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, or a combination thereof, To provide one or more binder materials, wherein the one or more binder materials contain components capable of forming crosslinked polymers, To provide a crosslinking agent, To produce an adsorbent binder material based on the adsorbent material, one or more binder materials, and the crosslinking agent, The adsorption binder material is applied to the substrate, Forming a fluid trapping material using the adsorbent binder material applied to the substrate, wherein the fluid trapping material includes a crosslinked composite, method.

12. Forming the aforementioned fluid trapping material The first layer of the fluid trapping material is formed using the adsorbent binder material, The first layer is pre-wetted, This includes forming a second layer on the first layer that has been pre-wetted. The method according to claim 11.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the one or more binder materials include a first binder material and a second binder material, and the first binder material is different from the second binder material.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein providing one or more binder materials comprises providing a first amount of the one or more binder materials, and providing the crosslinking agent comprises providing a second amount of the crosslinking agent, wherein the ratio of the second amount to the first amount is less than 1 / 3.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein providing one or more binder materials comprises providing a first amount of the one or more binder materials, and providing the crosslinking agent comprises providing a second amount of the crosslinking agent, wherein the ratio of the second amount to the first amount is less than 1 / 4.

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