ADVANCES IN BIOMASS-DERIVED CARBON FOR INTEGRATED CARBON CAPTURE SYSTEMS

Biomass-derived carbon materials are gaining prominence as next-generation sorbents for low-carbon and economically viable CO2 capture, owing to their tunable architectures, renewable origins, and strong life-cycle advantages. Much like transforming raw clay into a finely crafted ceramic through controlled firing, these materials evolve through carefully designed synthesis and activation routes that dictate their pore structure, surface chemistry, and ultimately their adsorption performance. This review consolidates recent advances in the mechanisms, synthesis pathways, activation methodologies, and sustainability considerations, shaping their development within integrated carbon capture systems. Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) in the 200°C to 260°C range plays a critical role in tailoring surface area and microstructure. The chemical activation consistently delivers superior performance, averaging CO2 uptake values of 2.86 mmol/g, notably higher than 1.85 mmol/g obtained via physical activation. Life-cycle assessments highlight the potential for near-neutral or even negative net emissions, particularly when biomass residues are utilised as the energy source for activation. Techno-economic evaluations further reveal competitive removal costs that outperform those of conventional amine-based systems, driven by lower regeneration energy requirements and reduced capital costs. Collectively, this review uniquely integrates mechanistic understanding, activation-performance benchmarking, and sustainability evidence to establish clear design and deployment pathways for biomassderived carbons in integrated carbon capture systems.