Challenges and advances in understanding the roadmap for direct hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to ethanol
Abstract
The rising concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and its impact on climate change necessitate urgent action for mitigation. Achieving carbon neutrality and reducing CO2 emissions have become imperative to limit global temperature rise. Among various strategies, the direct conversion of CO2 to ethanol has gained significant attention due to its potential to recycle and utilize CO2 emissions. However, challenges such as CO2 activation, selectivity control, and catalyst stability hinder the efficient conversion of CO2 to ethanol. Despite these challenges, significant advancements have been made in catalyst design and optimization. This review comprehensively examines catalyst design strategies, including metal catalysts, bimetallic catalysts, single-atom catalysts (SACs), MOF catalysts, and promoter-induced catalysts, along with their corresponding mechanistic studies. The challenges and recent advances in enhancing ethanol selectivity and catalyst stability are discussed. This review provides insights into catalyst advancements and outlines future directions to overcome challenges and achieve efficient CO2 to ethanol conversion, offering a promising pathway toward sustainable fuel production.
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Conversion of CO2 to liquid fuels can occur via one-step (direct CO2 hydrogenation) or two-step processes; the latter typically involve an intermediate reverse water-gas shift to produce CO, which is then hydrogenated in a subsequent step like Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
“The conversion of CO 2 to liquid fuels can occur via one-step (direct CO 2 hydrogenation) or two-step processes [286,287]; the latter typically involve an intermediate reaction such as the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) expressed by Equation (4) to produce CO, which is then hydrogenated in a subsequent step like F-T synthesis [288,289].”
From Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [287]
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Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Yılbaşı, Z. (2025) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su17136145 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
- Authors
- Pamei, M., Sharma, S. K., Das, D., Vadivel, S., Paul, B., & Puzari, A.
- Affiliations
- National Institute of Technology Nagaland (IN)
- National Forensic Sciences University (IN)
- R&D
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology (IN)
- National Institute of Technology Nagaland
- Corresponding author
- Paul, Bappi
- Venue
- Catalysis Reviews
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2024-09-17
- Volume
- 68
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 44-90
- ISSN
- 0161-4940 (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5703
- OpenAlex
- W4402567546
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 3
- FWCI
- 1.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Catalysis Reviews (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, India (RJF/2020/000042)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Process Chemistry and Technology › Carbon dioxide utilization in catalysis
- Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Catalysis › Catalysts for Methane Reforming
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts
- Keywords
- CO2 hydrogenation, ethanol production, CO2 activation, catalyst design, bimetallic catalysts, single-atom catalysts, metal-organic framework catalysts, ethanol selectivity, catalyst stability, reaction mechanism, carbon neutrality, CO2 utilization
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