Current Research Status and Future Perspective of Ni- and Ru-Based Catalysts for CO2 Methanation

Using anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) as a feedstock for the production of synthetic fuel has gained significant attention in recent years. Among the various CO2 conversion pathways, the production of synthetic natural gas via CO2 methanation holds promise because of its potential for both carbon recycling and renewable energy storage. Nickel (Ni) and ruthenium (Ru) are the dominant metals employed as catalysts in the CO2 methanation reaction. This review summarizes the research landscape of Ni- and Ru-based catalysts over the last ten years. Bibliometric analysis revealed that China has the highest number of publications, the Chinese Academy of Sciences is the foremost academic institution, and the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy is the leading journal in this area of research. The publication trend revealed that research on Ni-based catalysts is published at almost four times the rate of Ru-based catalysts. Despite growth in research, problems with catalyst stability and kinetics still exist. The latest research on various catalytic systems, including supported, bimetallic, and single-atom catalysts and the fundamental challenges associated with the CO2 methanation process are reviewed. This review provides a new angle for future studies on catalysts based on non-noble Ni and noble Ru metals and opens the way for additional research in this area.