Kinetic and thermodynamic limitations in direct air capture: toward optimized adsorbent design and regeneration strategies

Direct air capture (DAC) faces significant kinetic and thermodynamic challenges due to the ultra-dilute CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere (∼0.04%). Narrowing these gaps is essential for enhancing the efficiency and viability of DAC as a negative emissions technology. This review systematically explores three strategies to address these challenges: (i) optimizing the pore structure of adsorbents, (ii) incorporating surfactants, and (iii) optimizing the regeneration process. By focusing on the above strategies, this study highlights recent advancements in improving adsorption equilibrium and kinetics, and energy efficiency under DAC conditions, which provides insight for guiding future research and advancing DAC technologies.