Post combustion carbon capture using chemical absorption: a short review

Rapid urbanisation and improved living standards have led to a surge in energy demand across various sectors, predominantly met by carbon-intensive fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, and their derivatives. Consequently, global CO2 emissions have escalated, contributing significantly to climate change and the associated rise in global temperatures. With CO2 levels surpassing 409 ppm, urgent measures are required to curtail emissions by up to 50% by 2050 to limit the global temperature increase to below 2°C. The scientific community is actively exploring alternatives to mitigate carbon emissions, with carbon capture and storage emerging as a promising avenue for sustainable development. This communication provides an in-depth comprehensive and comparative analysis of various chemical absorbents for post-combustion carbon capture. The paper provides a detailed overview of the advantages and limitations of different absorbent solutions, including amine solutions, carbonate solutions, ammonia solutions, ionic liquid solutions, Nanofluids, and mixed solvents. The discussion encompasses the methods of pre-combustion, post-combustion, and oxy-fuel combustion, outlining their respective advantages and limitations in the context of carbon capture. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.