Michael Joseph O'brien

Aminosilicone Solvents for CO2 Capture

This work describes the first report of the use of an aminosilicone solvent mix for the capture of CO(2). To maintain a liquid state, a hydroxyether co-solvent was employed which allowed enhanced physisorption of CO(2) in the solvent mixture. Regeneration of the capture solvent system was demonstrated over 6 cycles and absorption isotherms indicate a 25-50 % increase in dynamic CO(2) capacity over 30 % MEA. In addition, proof of concept for continuous CO(2) absorption was verified. Additionally, modeling to predict heats of reaction of aminosilicone solvents with CO(2) was in good agreement with experimental results.

Mid-UV Photoresists Combining Chemical Amplification And Dissolution Inhibition

This paper describes the development of mid-UV photoresist materials based on the combined principles of chemical amplification and dissolution inhibition. These resists are composed of a novolac resin, a dissolution inhibitor containing an acid labile blocking group, and a photosensitive onium salt. A positive image is obtained by exposure to mid-UV irradiation, which generates a strong Bronsted acid from the onium salt, heating the resist so that the acid can catalyze deblocking of the acid labile groups on the dissolution inhibitor, and finally development with aqueous base. Interestingly, this system works well despite the fact that novolacs have previously been shown to become insolubilized by heating them in the presence of onium salt photoproducts.

Novel High Capacity Oligomers for Low Cost CO2 Capture

The novel concept of using a molecule possessing both physi-sorbing and chemi-sorbing properties for post-combustion CO2 capture was explored and mixtures of aminosilicones and hydroxyterminated polyethers had the best performance characteristics of materials examined. The optimal solvent composition was a 60/40 blend of GAP-1/TEG and a continuous bench-top absorption/desorption unit was constructed and operated. Plant and process models were developed for this new system based on an existing coal-fired power plant and data from the laboratory experiments were used to calculate an overall COE for a coal-fired power plant fitted with this capture technology. A reduction in energy penalty, from 30% to 18%, versus an optimized 30% MEA capture system was calculated with a concomitant COE decrease from 73% to 41% for the new aminosilicone solvent system.