Cellulose derivatives and cellulose-metal-organic frameworks for CO2 adsorption and separation

Mitigating carbon dioxide emission on a large scale requires implementing low-cost and abundantly available selective materials. The inherent qualities of natural cellulosic materials, such as availability, eco-friendliness, high processability, and remarkable physical-mechanical characteristics, have led to widespread usage for diverse applications. Nanostructured surface modifications and incorporation of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) onto the cellulose materials to form composites hold viable opportunities for enhancing the performance of these materials. This study presents recent advancements in cellulose and cellulose-MOFs (CelluMOFs) for CO2 adsorption and separation. Different CO2 capturing processes, families, and preparation methods of cellulose and CelluMOF materials, as well as the corresponding characterization techniques for CO2 separation and adsorption were discussed. These were followed by different cellulose materials comprising inorganic particle-base cellulose and chemically modified nanocellulosic materials for CO2 adsorption. Various cellulosic and polymer-based cellulose membranes for CO2 separation were also discussed. Unlike previous literature, the present study also discussed the cellulose-MOF-based materials as the new generation of materials for CO2 adsorption and separation, suggesting that MOFs integration onto the cellulosic matrices without forfeiting their intrinsic performances remains a viable approach for a gigantic breakthrough in the field. Finally, this study reveals the associated shortcomings and preparation strategies and challenges/gaps in knowledge to enable the development and exploration of new dimensions and also, the direction of specific research for large or industrial-scale applications.