Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to methods of capturing CO2 from an environment by associating the environment (e.g., a pressurized environment) with a porous carbon material that comprises a plurality of pores and a plurality of nucleophilic moieties. In some embodiments, the associating results in sorption of CO2 to the porous carbon materials. In some embodiments, the sorption of CO2 to the porous carbon materials occurs selectively over hydrocarbons in the environment. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure also include a step of releasing captured CO2 from porous carbon materials. In some embodiments, the releasing occurs without any heating steps by decreasing environmental pressure. In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure also include a step of disposing released CO2 and reusing porous carbon materials. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to porous carbon materials that are used for CO2 capture.

Abstract: Composite materials for carbon dioxide (C02) capture that include: (1) a mesoporous carbon source; and (2) an in situ polymerized polymer that is associated with the mesoporous carbon source, where the in situ polymerized polymer is selected from the group consisting of thiol-based polymers, amine-based polymers, and combinations thereof. Methods of making the composite materials for C02 capture include: (1) associating a mesoporous carbon source with monomers, where the monomers are selected from the group consisting of thiol-based monomers, amine-based monomers, and combinations thereof; and (2) polymerizing the monomers in situ to form said composite materials. Further embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of capturing C02 from an environment by associating the environment with one or more of the aforementioned composite materials.