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Abstract
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The continuous rise in anthropogenic CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion underscores the urgency of
developing efficient carbon capture technologies. Among various methods, post-combustion CO₂ capture using
amine-based solvents remains the most mature and industrially viable. However, conventional aqueous-amine
systems suffer from high regeneration energy demands, solvent degradation, and operational challenges. This
study systematically reviews recent advances in amine-based solvents and co-solvent formulations designed to
enhance absorption efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The discussion covers (i) thermodynamic and
kinetic fundamentals of amine–CO₂ interactions, (ii) the effects of co-solvent addition on viscosity, mass transfer,
and thermal stability, and (iii) the influence of operating parameters on cyclic capacity and regeneration energy.
Emerging classes such as water-lean, biphasic, and nanoparticle-enhanced systems are critically compared based
on their absorption kinetics, desorption enthalpy, and stability under cyclic operation. Bibliometric analysis is
used to map the evolution of research trends in solvent engineering. The review highlights that co-solvents such
as glycols, sulfoxides, and glycol ethers can lower reboiler duty by up to 60% relative to aqueous mono-
ethanolamine while maintaining comparable absorption performance. Remaining challenges include viscosity
control, long-term solvent degradation, and scalability. Future research should focus on optimizing solvent
composition, integrating process intensification techniques, and developing predictive models linking molecular
structure to process performance.
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