Redox-responsive sorbents and mediators for electrochemically based CO 2 capture

Global warming and climate change caused by an ever-increasing accumulation of atmospheric CO 2 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 CO 2. Current technologies rely on energy-intensive temperature- or pressure-swing of CO 2 sorbents, limiting the economic feasibility of the process. Herein, we review recent advances in electrochemically mediated CO 2 capture and release. Specifically, redox-active sorbents and mediators provide new opportunities in separation of CO 2 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 CO 2 by exploitation of redox-active complexes, and the outlook for electrochemically based carbon capture are covered.