Microporous organic polymers as CO2 adsorbents: advances and challenges

Microporous organic polymers (MOPs) with internal pores less than 2 nm have potential use in gas separation, sensing, and storage, in the form of membranes, monoliths, fibers, or adsorbent granules. These covalently bonded polymers are being formed by reacting with rigid organic monomers, and MOPs have lately been studied for capturing CO2 from gas mixtures in the form of membranes and adsorbents. Especially, the potential of MOPs in the processes of carbon capture and storage has been in the focus and small pore MOPs are preferred for regular separation processes but larger pores could be suitable if cryogenic processes would be used. Recent studies (2014 – mid 2019) on the potential use of MOPs as CO2 adsorbents and, to some degree, CO2-selective membranes are reviewed.