Carbon capture plays a crucial role in meeting international climate targets. It is critical in reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, particularly from sectors such as power generation, cement, and steel, where decarbonization options remain limited.1,2 Carbon capture is recognized as a key mitigation strategy under frameworks like the Paris Agreement and is emphasized in policy and scientific assessments.2,3
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This article outlines current carbon capture approaches: post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxy-fuel combustion, and direct air capture (DAC). It also examines recent innovations in materials and electrochemical systems and explores the future of modular, scalable, and intelligent carbon capture solutions based on current research and development.1,2
Carbon Capture Technologies
Post-combustion capture
This involves extracting CO₂ from flue gas after fuel combustion. It is widely used in power generation and heavy industries. Monoethanolamine (MEA) and similar amine solvents absorb CO₂ in absorber columns, regenerating the solvent in reboilers. However, the high heat demand and solvent degradation limit long-term efficiency.1,2
Pre-combustion capture
In pre-combustion capture, fuel is gasified or reformed to generate synthesis gas (CO + H₂), which undergoes a water-gas shift reaction to produce CO₂ and hydrogen (H₂). CO₂ is separated before combustion, allowing H₂ to be used as a clean energy source. Sorption-enhanced water-gas shift (SEWGS) is a method being developed based on this approach.2
Oxy-fuel combustion
In this method, nearly pure oxygen is used instead of air for combustion, resulting in a flue gas composed mainly of CO₂ and water vapor, simplifying CO₂ separation.
Technologies such as the Allam Cycle and LEILAC (low emissions intensity lime and cement) kilns exemplify this approach. However, cryogenic air separation for oxygen production remains energy-intensive.1,2
Direct air capture (DAC)
DAC technologies extract CO₂ directly from atmospheric air. Solid-sorbent systems (such as Climeworks) and liquid-solvent approaches (carbon engineering) are being commercialized. These systems require large fan arrays, sorbent units, and high-temperature or electrochemical regeneration, and typically operate at high energy costs.3
Emerging and Innovative Technologies
Silk-based fibroin sorbents
Recent studies demonstrate that silk-fibroin aerogels offer high CO₂ adsorption capacities (~3.65 mmol/g), fast kinetics, and low regeneration temperatures (~60 °C).
These bio-based sorbents are biodegradable, thermally stable, and environmentally benign, making them attractive for sustainable carbon capture. Their lightweight structure and tunable porosity further enhance performance in modular capture systems.4
Redox-active metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)
Electrically driven CO₂ binding and release has been demonstrated using redox-active MOFs. These frameworks allow voltage swing adsorption/desorption with capacities of ~2 mmol/g, offering a potentially energy-efficient alternative to thermal methods.5
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Electro-swing adsorption (ESA)
ESA employs redox-active electrodes, such as quinone-based polymers or carbon-supported active materials, for reversible CO₂ capture under a voltage of ~1.3 V. This electrochemical method eliminates the need for heat input, enabling modular and scalable capture.3
Zeolite-based passive DAC
Using zeolites in passive DAC units harnesses natural airflow instead of powered fans to facilitate CO₂ adsorption. These systems have low energy requirements, minimal maintenance, and are well-suited for decentralized deployment in remote or low-resource settings. Their robust performance under varying humidity and temperature also supports field reliability.1
Enabling Technologies and Engineering Platforms
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have accelerated sorbent discovery, with over 1.6 million compounds screened and approximately 2,500 optimized amines identified for CO₂ capture.1 These developments significantly reduce the timeline for identifying viable materials with high selectivity and thermal stability.
Modular engineering allows flexible stacking of DAC and ESA cells to scale capture systems by demand, improving deployment versatility across geographies and emission intensities. Ongoing advances in miniaturizing components and integrating power systems have enabled the development of mobile and adaptable carbon capture units suited for different locations.
In parallel, integrated measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) technologies now offer real-time insights into capture performance, operational health, and system reliability. These tools enable data-driven deployment of autonomous and intelligent carbon capture units, making long-term maintenance and performance tracking cost-effective and scalable for commercial operations.
Technical Challenges in Carbon Capture
Despite rapid development, several technical barriers remain. High energy demands still limit DAC and oxy-fuel systems, especially when powered by non-renewable grids. Thermal and electrical loads significantly affect overall capture economics and carbon payback timelines.
Sorbents such as silk aerogels and MOFs must overcome issues such as oxidation, cycling fatigue, moisture sensitivity, and cost-effective synthesis.4,5 Moreover, ensuring long-term stability across thousands of adsorption-desorption cycles under fluctuating ambient conditions remains a concern.
Most systems remain pilot-scale capacities, with limited evidence for industrial-scale operation or consistent uptime. Integrating existing infrastructure in refineries, cement kilns, or power plants requires resolving retrofitting challenges without significantly disrupting ongoing processes or violating emissions compliance targets.2
The Future of Carbon Capture Technology
Pilot-scale trials of silk fibroin sorbents and ESA cells are progressing steadily, with anticipated CO₂ capture capacities surpassing 100 tons annually. These technologies undergo field testing in diverse environmental conditions to determine their performance and regeneration efficiency in real-world applications.
At the same time, companies such as Climeworks and Deep Sky are working toward expanding DAC facilities, with plans to reach multi-kiloton capture capacities by 2025.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly important in advancing sorbent development—helping researchers improve selectivity, durability, and material efficiency.1,4 In parallel, there is growing interest in hybrid systems that combine chemical and electrochemical methods to allow for more flexible operation.
Next-generation capture platforms will likely pair DAC systems with renewable energy, localized energy storage, and integrated measurement and verification tools to enhance environmental benefits and cost-effectiveness.
Emerging hybrid platforms integrating ESA with DAC and battery systems offer real-time adaptive operation. Meeting gigaton-scale capture goals will require material improvements but also policy incentives, reliable financing, and industry-government collaborations to enhance the reliability of investors in carbon capture infrastructure.2,3
Conclusion
Established carbon capture technologies, such as post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxy-fuel combustion, and DAC, effectively reduce CO₂ emissions from major industrial and energy sectors.
Although these technologies have shown effectiveness, many still consume significant energy and require further optimization to become economically viable at scale.
Recent innovations are shifting focus toward better materials, compact and modular hardware, and smarter control systems, rather than introducing entirely new capture methods.
Overcoming obstacles such as high energy use, material wear over time, and scalability is essential for wider real-world adoption. The path forward likely involves flexible, intelligent capture systems that can be customized for different industrial applications, while also aligning with long-term climate goals and sustainability efforts.
References and Further Reading
- Thiedemann, T. M., & Wark, M. (2025). A Compact Review of Current Technologies for Carbon Capture as Well as Storing and Utilizing the Captured CO2. Processes, 13(1), 283. DOI: 10.3390/pr13010283 https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/13/1/283
- Geweda, A. E., et al. (2024). Mitigating CO₂ emissions: A review on emerging technologies/strategies for CO₂ capture. Journal of the Energy Institute, 118, Article 101911. DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2024.101911 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743967124003891
- Voskian, S., & Hatton, T. A. (2019). Faradaic Electro-Swing Reactive Adsorption for CO₂ Capture. Energy & Environmental Science, 12(12), 3530–3547. DOI: 10.1039/C9EE02412C https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/ee/c9ee02412c
- Sheikh, M. N., et al. (2025). Silk: A Promising Natural Blend of Amino Acids for Efficient CO₂ Capture. arXiv preprint. DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.01129 https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.01129
- Vetik, I., et al. (2024). Advancing Electrochemical CO₂ Capture with Redox‑Active Metal‑Organic Frameworks. arXiv preprint DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2411.16444 https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.16444
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