State-of-the-art direct CO2 hydrogenation to liquid hydrocarbons: Analysis of Fischer–Tropsch and methanol-mediated routes

The CO2 hydrogenation process towards the production of liquid hydrocarbons appears to be a promising path to decarbonize the aviation sector. This process usually proceeds through tandem catalysis following two main pathways: Fischer-Tropsch (CO2-FTS) and Methanol (CO2-MeOH) routes, where the pathway is dependent on the catalytic material. In this review, we explore recent progress made in both routes for the production of liquid hydrocarbons, especially in light of growing knowledge about the optimization of catalyst composition. We systematically analyze the effect of different metal dopants and promoters in the catalytic performance and evolution of catalytic properties within the solid material. We also summarize key developments in kinetic and mechanism models, as well as highlight the reactor technologies and current applications in the world. Based on the analysis of more than 300 catalytic tests results available in the literature, our critical assessment reveals that the CO2-FTS route is more suitable to the production of long-chain hydrocarbons in actual stage, reaching higher selectivity towards liquid hydrocarbons at high CO2 single-pass conversion. This review presents a pioneer study of data analysis comparing both routes, meanwhile helping academics and industry in their decision-making process for developing an economically viable industrial process.