3 - Bioinspired materials for CO2 capture and conversion

Abstract

Climate change and global warming have triggered global efforts to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Carbon dioxide capture, removal, and utilization are considered frontier approach to deal with increasing carbon dioxide levels. Various biological, chemical, and biomolecular systems are known for carbon dioxide capture and usage. However, scientists worldwide are exploring new materials with wonderful properties for sustainable development. The excellent properties of bio-based materials have revolutionized the material science community with their wide range of applications in various fields. Bioinspired materials are naturally mimicking materials that are crystalline, flexible, biocompatible, and porous in nature. The surface properties of biomaterials allow their usage in biomedicines, drug delivery, biosensing, imaging, diagnosis, and environmental remediation. Likewise, bioinspired materials are also used for carbon dioxide capture and its further conversion to high-value products. In this chapter, we discussed biomaterials, their unique properties, and examples of biomaterials that can be potentially used for carbon dioxide removal. The bio-based materials are fabricated either by inspiration from naturally occurring materials or by mimicking the natural enzymes. Adsorption, absorption, and catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide are the fundamental mechanisms for the removal of carbon dioxide from the environment. Being a new material, very few reviews and discussions are available for the bio-based capture of carbon dioxide. The chapter intended to discuss various research studies based on biomaterials for efficient carbon dioxide reduction through its capture and conversion.