The amine-based postcombustion CO2 capture (PCC) process involves absorption of CO2 into a solvent and then regenerating the solvent to produce CO2. In this study, the effect of an activated carbon (AC) catalyst, synthesized through hydrothermal treatment and furnace activation on CO2 absorption in a 4M BEA/AMP amine blend, was evaluated and compared with that of a KMgO/CNTs (1:4) catalyst. The physical and chemical properties of AC were investigated with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (CO2-TPD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and compared with the KMgO/CNTs (1:4) catalyst. The results showed that when compared against noncatalytic CO2 absorption, AC enhanced the linear rate of CO2 absorption by 33.3%, while for KMgO/CNTs, it was reported as 25.5%. The relatively higher surface area, combined with the higher number and strength of basic sites of AC relative to the KMgO/CNTs (1:4) catalyst, provided effective basic reaction sites for CO2 absorption, thereby enhancing the rate of CO2 absorption into the amine. AC was also relatively easier to synthesize which would provide a good replacement for the CNT-based catalyst which has carcinogenic tendencies.

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