Metal–Organic Frameworks for CO₂ Capture: Challenges and Efforts from Laboratory Research to Industrial Applications

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions demand the development of innovative, cost-effective capture technologies to mitigate its profound impact on the global climate. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising candidates for CO2 capture, owing to their highly tunable pore architecture, customizable pore chemistry, and superior gas adsorption and separation performances. However, the transition of MOFs from laboratory research to industrial-scale deployment remains fraught with formidable challenges. Key issues include the prohibitive costs of synthesis, limitations in shaping techniques for industrial environments, and diminished performance under adverse industrial conditions, such as high humidity, elevated temperatures, and acidic gases. This review systematically summarizes these barriers and illuminates recent advancements in cost-effective synthesis methodologies, shaping techniques, and strategies to enhance resilience against operational complexities. Furthermore, it underscores the pivotal role of MOFs in emerging applications, such as direct air capture and the selective removal of trace CO2 in natural gas purification. By addressing critical knowledge gaps and offering actionable insights, this work serves as a blueprint for advancing MOFs-based CO2 capture technologies from laboratory innovation to industrial realization.