Electrochemically responsive materials for energy-efficient water treatment and carbon capture.

This article reviews the role of electrochemically responsive materials (ERMs) in emerging environmental remediation technologies, focusing on electrochemically mediated water treatment (EMWT) and electrochemically mediated carbon capture (EMCC). It details the working principles of ERM-based systems, including mechanisms such as capacitive deionization, redox-based adsorption, ion intercalation, and pH swing processes, and summarizes key performance metrics for both EMWT and EMCC. The review further discusses multiscale design considerations—from molecular engineering of redox-active polymers and intercalation materials to electrode architecture and device configurations—that influence capacity, selectivity, stability, and energy efficiency. Additionally, it highlights advanced in situ and operando characterization techniques that provide insights into dynamic structural and functional heterogeneities in ERMs, and outlines future opportunities and challenges related to new analytical tools, repurposing energy materials, device scalability, system integration, and combining water treatment with carbon capture technologies.