Recent advances in thermocatalytic hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to light olefins and liquid fuels via modified Fischer-Tropsch pathway

With the rapid economic development, the excessive use of fossil fuels and the massive emission of carbon di-oxide (CO2), as a greenhouse gas, have aroused a series of environment issues. Direct CO2 hydrogenation to value-added chemicals using renewable energy is an effective strategy to reduce CO2 and dependence on fossil fuels. Among these value-added chemicals, light olefins and liquid fuels have attracted the attention of both academic and industry as one of the most important chemicals in our daily life. Light olefins and liquid fuels can be produced from CO2 hydrogenation via a modified Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTs) route or via a methanol-mediated process. Compared with methanol-mediated process, FTs route is favorable for CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins and liquid fuels due to its lower energy consumption and higher conversion efficiency. Although great progress has been made in CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins and liquid fuels, designing efficient catalysts to effectively control the activation of C-O bond and the growth of C-C bond remains a great challenge. This review highlights research advances in thermocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to light olefins and liquid fuels via modified FTs pathway. The catalyst design, reaction mechanism, catalyst component, and key factors affecting catalytic performance are summarized and analyzed for CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins and liquid fuels. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive view on catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins and liquid fuels to inspire the development of novel catalysts in the future.