Toward a Low-Carbon Future: Perspectives on Carbon Capture Materials, Processes, and Integration

Abstract

Carbon capture has become a cornerstone of global decarbonization strategies, essential for curbing anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions and advancing net-zero goals. This review surveys the state of the art across major capture routes—post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxy-fuel, and emerging direct air capture (DAC)—and compares adsorption, absorption, cryogenic, and membrane technologies with attention to thermodynamic constraints, process-intensification options, and sectoral integration. We highlight sorbent design from amine-functionalized chemisorbents to next-generation physisorbents such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), emphasizing performance under humidity and low CO₂ partial pressures. The methodology integrates bibliometric mapping, technology-readiness assessments, and rigorous benchmarking of energy demand and cost. Results synthesize advances in structured contactors, hybrid solvent–sorbent concepts, and innovative regeneration schemes, with figures and tables tracking trends in capture cost, material metrics, and deployment scenarios. A broader discussion examines scalability, environmental impacts, and coupling with renewables, carbon utilization, and storage networks. We conclude that carbon capture functions both as a bridging and transformative technology, whose rapid progress depends on targeted policy support, social acceptance, and cross-disciplinary innovation. By unifying insights on materials, processes, and systems, this review provides guidance for researchers, engineers, and policymakers seeking to accelerate sustainable carbon-capture deployment worldwide