Challenges and Opportunities in Electrification of Adsorptive Separation Processes

A global energy transition from fossil-based to renewable-based systems requires advancements in various energy sectors. Current chemical separation processes are quite energy-intensive and require significant advancement to make this transition happen. In the energy transition era, reducing the dependency of separation processes on fossil-based thermal energy seems inevitable for transitioning smoothly and meeting the stringent timelines. In particular, adsorption-based separation processes have the potential to be fully electrified through innovative strategies in developing stimuli-responsive adsorbents and swing processes. In this review, we discuss the recent efforts in electrification of adsorption processes and provide an overview of emerging materials and processes. The challenges associated with electrified adsorption-based separations are discussed in detail, and opportunities to expedite the transition from traditional practices to advanced energy-efficient systems are provided in the end.