A mini review on recent advances in thermocatalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to value-added chemicals and fuels

The development of industrialization has led to the increased demands for carbon-based energy resources, meanwhile, excessive carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission caused by industrialization has aroused enormous environmental concerns. With the proposal of global carbon neutrality, much attention has been paid to the thermocatalytic hydrogenation of CO₂ into value-added chemicals and fuels, which is widely considered as a promising way to alleviate carbon emission and energy shortage. CO₂ hydrogenation to hydrocarbons mainly undergoes a CO₂-modified Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (CO₂-FTS) route or a methanol-mediated (MeOH) route. However, each route needs to be further optimized and possesses its own advantages and disadvantages. In the present review, the mechanisms and primary intermediates of these two routes are firstly summarized. Hereafter, the current understandings of the relationship among catalytic performance, physical-chemical properties of catalysts and reaction conditions for each route are overviewed according to different target products, including light olefins, gasoline, jet fuel, diesel and aromatics. Finally, we provide an outlook of dual-pathway catalysts on future direction of CO₂ hydrogenation.