CO2 Adsorption Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review

Rapidly increasing global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, a direct consequence of unabated fossil fuel combustion, pose a serious threat to our planet, fueling drastic global climate change. In the last ten years, there has been a surge in the development of chemical sorbents cycled through adsorption-desorption processes for CO2 uptake, usually from low-concentration stationary sources like atmospheric air. The efficiency of these technologies, however, will depend on the development and optimization of promising next-generation materials tailored specifically for CO2 capture. Graphene, a special distinctive material discovered about two decades ago, has the potential to propel the world even further toward a more sustainable future goal, for our largely fossil fuel-dependent economies. Graphene has a single-atom-thick sheet of sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms causing it to have exceptional and tuneable properties. These have made graphene the most widely studied nanomaterial of the twenty first century. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the graphene-based materials for CO2 capture/conversion. The review commences by exploring the synthesis techniques for graphene and the addition of dopants to tune its properties for targeted CO2 capture applications. Furthermore, the review discusses graphene derivatives for CO2 capture applications. Despite the immense potential, the practical implementation of graphene-based materials for direct air capture (DAC) will further exploration and development. Notably, engineering efficient graphene-air interfacial contact is paramount to expediting the deployment of DAC as a viable strategy for mitigating climate change. The review concludes by charting avenues for future research in environmental pollution mitigation through advanced material science and engineering approaches.