Recent advances in CO₂ adsorption using aerogel materials: A review

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.