Recent advances in polymeric membranes for CO2 capture

Membrane and membrane process have been considered as one of the most promising technologies for mitigating CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels. In this paper, recent advances in polymeric membranes for CO2 capture are reviewed in terms of material design and membrane formation. The selected polymeric materials are grouped based on their gas transport mechanisms, i.e., solution-diffusion and facilitated transport. The discussion of solution-diffusion membranes encompasses the recent efforts to shift the upper bound barrier, including the enhanced CO2 solubility in several rubbery polymers and novel methods to construct shape-persisting macromolecules with unprecedented sieving ability. The carrier-bearing facilitated transport membranes are categorized based on the specific CO2-carrier chemistry. Finally, opportunities and challenges in practical applications are also discussed, including post-combustion carbon capture (CO2/N-2), hydrogen purification (CO2/H-2), and natural gas sweetening (CO2/CH4). (C) 2018 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.