Trends and limits of CO2 capture in solid and liquid sorbents at standard conditions

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) plays a critical role in achieving climate change mitigation targets, offering a pathway to decarbonize power generation, industrial processes, and heat production while addressing atmospheric CO₂ removal. While CCS technologies are technically advanced, the widespread adoption of 100 % CO₂ capture capacities such as 1 mol of CO₂/mol of material and 1 g CO₂/g storage (targeted by the DARPA, Defense Sciences Office, USA Govt.) has raised questions about the feasibility of achieving higher capture capacities. In the context of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, reaching 100 % CO₂ capture capacity is increasingly necessary, with residual emissions requiring complementary carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. This review exclusively focuses on the CO₂ capture capacities of various sorbents under standard conditions, using different evaluation metrics. This study explores the performance of solid and liquid sorbents under standard conditions, analyzing factors including surface area, pore structure, solvent type, and functionalization to identify materials optimized for industrial-scale CCS applications. Emerging sorbents, including ILs, MOFs, COFs, POPs, DES, RCC, hybrid materials, and reactive sorbents, offer significant potential for enhanced selectivity and energy-efficient regeneration. Through a systematic assessment of gravimetric, volumetric, and molar capacities, the study provides insights into material efficiencies and trade-offs, offering guidance on optimizing sorbent selection for specific applications. The research advances understanding of scalable CCS technologies, contributing to global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and address the pressing challenge of climate change.