Next Materials (Apr 2025)
Recent advances in CO2 adsorption using aerogel materials: A review
Abstract
The rapidly increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, primarily due to industrial processes and fossil fuel combustion, presents a serious environmental challenge. As a potent greenhouse gas, CO2 contributes significantly to global warming and climate change, necessitating innovative solutions for its capture and sequestration. Numerous materials have been developed and employed for CO2 capture. Among these materials, aerogels have emerged as a promising class of adsorbents for effective CO2 capture. The synthesis of aerogels allows for tailored textural characteristics and surface chemistries, making them highly effective in capturing CO2. Innovations in aerogel technology have focused on enhancing their CO2 uptake capacity, selectivity, and stability under operational conditions. Although there are some existing reviews on CO2 capture using various materials, comprehensive evaluations focusing on aerogels for CO2 capture remain scarce in the literature. This highlights the novelty of this article and points out to the need for comprehensive reviews, as the one presented herein, to tackle recent progress, consolidate knowledge, and highlight gaps in this rapidly expanding field. Accordingly, this review article explores recent advances in the development and application of aerogel materials for CO2 capture, highlighting their potential to address this global issue. This article also systematically examines the modifications and optimizations of aerogels for improved performance, from the incorporation of amine functionalities to the development of composite and hybrid aerogel structures. Additionally, various aspects (i.e., adsorption mechanism, reactor configuration, techno-economic and life cycle analyses, and regeneration) of CO2 capture using aerogels are covered. Moreover, this review article identifies key areas for future research and development, emphasizing the need for continued innovation in material science to enhance the functionality and commercial viability of aerogels in CO2 capture applications. Accordingly, this review article offers detailed insights into aerogels as a vital solution to mitigate the adverse effects of increased atmospheric CO2.
