CuO modified KIT-6 as a high-efficiency catalyst for energy-efficient amine solvent regeneration

•A variety of transition metal oxides modified mesoporous molecular sieve (KIT-6) catalysts were prepared.•The introduction of catalysts reduced the relative energy consumption of CO2 desorption up to 33.4%.•The stability of CuK was tested and 93.4% of the catalytic activity was kept after five absorption–desorption cycles.•A possible catalytic CO2 desorption mechanism was proposed over CuK catalyst.