Sustainable Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Materials from Chitosan for Advanced Carbon Capture Applications

To a large extent, the shift in the world’s climate is due to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This highlights the critical need for rapid advancements in efficient carbon capture technologies. This study investigates the CO2 adsorption capabilities of nitrogen-doped carbon composites produced from chitosan, a biodegradable biopolymer rich in nitrogen. N-doped carbon materials can be synthesized from chitosan, yielding materials with adjustable porosity and a high specific surface area. The addition of nitrogen functionalities enhances the material’s adsorption capabilities by facilitating chemisorption and physisorption via the creation of active sites. The transport and storage of CO2 are both improved by hierarchical pore designs. Alternatively, nitrogen-enriched additives and chemical activation methods may enhance performance. This article provides a comprehensive overview of methods to converting chitosan into N-doped carbon materials for carbon capture applications. The findings suggest that these environmentally friendly materials could be highly beneficial for reducing CO2 emissions across many industrial processes. To improve scalability and practical use in real-world systems, future research should focus on enhancing structural and functional stability, developing bead-shaped forms rather than powders, and optimizing synthesis procedures.