Engineering porous organic polymers for enhanced CO₂ capture: from synthesis to implementation

The escalating concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) necessitates the development of efficient and scalable carbon capture technologies. Porous organic polymers (POPs) have emerged as a leading class of solid-state adsorbents, offering an exceptional combination of high surface area, tuneable porosity, and robust chemical stability. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the engineering of POPs for enhanced CO₂ capture, traversing the journey from molecular design to implementation. We show the fundamental characteristics of POPs, including their classification and unique structure-property relationships that govern adsorption performance. The core of the review critically examines diverse synthetic strategies for creating POPs, with a focus on tailoring pore architecture and chemical functionality-such as amine incorporation and heteroatom doping-to optimize CO₂ capacity, selectivity, and regeneration kinetics. We further assess the performance of POPs under realistic conditions, analysing the critical impact of humidity, co-adsorbates, and long-term cycling on their practical viability. The economic and environmental prospects of POP-based capture are evaluated through techno-economic assessments. Finally, we highlight emerging trends of multi-functional POPs, and outline a roadmap for future research. The review concludes that while challenges in scalability and cost remain, POPs hold immense promise as next-generation adsorbents, with the potential to play a pivotal role in achieving a sustainable and net-zero future.