Reversed Mg-Based Smectites: A New Approach for CO2 Adsorption

Addressing climate change requires transitioning to cleaner energy sources and adopting advanced CO2 capture techniques. Clay minerals are effective in CO2 adsorption due to their regenerative properties. Recent advancements in nanotechnology further improve their efficiency and potential for use in carbon capture and storage. This study examines the CO2 adsorption properties of montmorillonite and saponite, which are subjected to a novel microwave-assisted acid treatment to enhance their adsorption capacity. While montmorillonite shows minimal changes, saponite undergoes significant alterations. Furthermore, the addition of silica pillars to smectites results in a new nanomaterial with a higher surface area (653 m2 g−1), denoted as reversed smectite, with enhanced CO2 adsorption capabilities, potentially useful for electrochemical devices for converting captured CO2 into value-added products.