Gaseous storage system, methods for making and using the same

Abstract

The present description relates to an adsorbent monolith, method to make the adsorbent monolith, and a gaseous storage system that includes an adsorbent monolith according to the present disclosure. In particular, the adsorbent monolith includes adsorbent, a binder, and a scaffold material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A high density, porous sorbent material comprising:
 an adsorbent including activated carbon in an amount of from about 70 wt % to about 95 wt %, wherein the activated carbon is a coconut or wood-based activated carbon or a combination thereof; and   at least one polymer, wherein the at least one polymeric material is at least one of a fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyolefin, polyester, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polyacrylic, polyphenylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, styrene butadiene resin (SBR), nylon, or a combination thereof,   wherein the material is at least one of compressed, molded, extruded or a combination thereof under pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymer is present in an amount of from about 5 wt % to about 25 wt %. 
     
     
         3 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent has a surface area in a range of about 600 m2/g to about 3000 m2/g as determined by N 2  BET adsorption. 
     
     
         4 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 3 , wherein the adsorbent has a surface area in a range of about 1,000 m2/g to about 2,000 m2/g as determined by N 2  BET adsorption. 
     
     
         5 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 3 , wherein the adsorbent has a surface area in a range of about 1,800 m2/g to about 2,300 m2/g as determined by N 2  BET adsorption. 
     
     
         6 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent has an average pore size in the range of about 0.8 nanometers to about 3.5 nanometers 
     
     
         7 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent has a pore volumes in the range of about 0.5 cc/g to about 2.0 cc/g. 
     
     
         8 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent has a particle size in the range of from about 10 μm to about 2.83 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 8 , wherein the adsorbent has a particle size in the range of from about 15 μm to about 120 μm. 
     
     
         10 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the material is extruded. 
     
     
         11 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 10 , wherein the material is extruded at from about 10,000 psi to about 60,000 psi. 
     
     
         12 . The high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the material further comprises at least one of an emulsifying agent, a rheological agent, a thickening agent or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A gaseous storage system comprising a container including the high density, porous sorbent material of  claim 1 , wherein the container is configured to have an internal pressure of from about 250 psi to about 1,800 psi. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the container has in internal pressure of from about 450 psi to about 1,000 psi. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a high density, porous gas sorbent monolith, the method comprising:
 admixing (i) an adsorbent including activated carbon in an amount of from about 70 wt % to about 95 wt %, wherein the activated carbon is a coconut or wood-based activated carbon or a combination thereof, and (ii) at least one polymer, wherein the at least one polymer is at least one of a fluoropolymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyolefin, polyester, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polyacrylic, polyphenylene, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, styrene butadiene resin (SBR), nylon, or a combination thereof;   compressing or extruding the admix into a shaped structure; and   applying heat to the compressed or extruded admix.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of:
 the adsorbent is present in an amount of at least 77 wt %; and   the polymer is present in an amount no greater than 20 wt %.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the compressing or extruding the admix includes applying at least 1,250 psi of pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the applied pressure is greater than 1,500 psi. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the shape of the mold is at least one of circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, and square. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the monolith is heated to a temperature of from about 110° C. to about 250° C.