Redox-responsive sorbents and mediators for electrochemically based CO₂ capture

Global warming and climate change caused by an ever-increasing accumulation of atmospheric CO₂ are reaching alarming levels. In order to address this issue, significant research effort has been dedicated to the development of carbon capture processes for sequestration or utilization of CO₂. Current technologies rely on energy-intensive temperature- or pressure-swing of CO₂ sorbents, limiting the economic feasibility of the process. Herein, we review recent advances in electrochemically mediated CO₂ capture and release. Specifically, redox-active sorbents and mediators provide new opportunities in separation of CO₂ by significantly reducing the energy requirements and widening the scope for system modifications. In particular, strategies for electrochemically mediated regeneration of sorbents in conventional processes, direct capture and release of CO₂ by exploitation of redox-active complexes, and the outlook for electrochemically based carbon capture are covered.