A Review of Aerogel Applications in Adsorption and Catalysis

Abstract

Aerogels are a special class of porous material, which have excellent physicochemical properties such as low density, high porosity, high surface area and adjustable surface chemistry. Aerogels were first prepared several decades ago, but never truly commercialized due to their high cost. Technological advancements in the production and quality of different types of aerogel cut costs down and market factors increase demand. Therefore, the viability of this porous material on the several applications has been widely studied. Among the various high-performance applications, aerogel has attracted significant attention as a chemical sorbent and catalyst for CO2 capture and conversion as well as methane conversion to value-added products. Although aerogel performance for zero CO2 emission to the environment is promising, some drawbacks of aerogels such as complicated drying process, mechanically weak structure and processing cost should also be considered in material development. Ultimately this review article will cover an overview regarding the aerogels synthesis, processing and their recent applications in CO2 capture and conversion.