This review discusses the prospect of utilizing earth-abundant CO₂ as a feedstock for value-added chemicals via hydrogenation reaction. The recent progress of CO₂ mitigation strategies using solid-supported catalysts and its opportunities for converting to numerous value-added chemicals, such as olefin, methanol, and formic acid, are discussed.

Abstract

Reducing CO₂ emissions is an urgent global priority. In this context, several mitigation strategies, including CO₂ tax and stringent legislation, have been adopted to halt the deterioration of the natural environment. Also, carbon recycling procedures undoubtedly help reduce net emissions into the atmosphere, enhancing sustainability. Utilizing Earth's abundant CO₂ to produce high-potential green chemicals and light fuels opens new avenues for the chemical industry. In this context, many attempts have been devoted to converting CO₂ as a feedstock into various value-added chemicals, such as CH₄, lower methanol, light olefins, gasoline, and higher hydrocarbons, for numerous applications involving various catalytic reactions. Although several CO₂-conversion methods have been used, including electrochemical, photochemical, and biological approaches, the hydrogenation method allows the reaction to be tuned to produce the targeted compound without significantly altering infrastructure. This review discusses the numerous hydrogenation routes and their challenges, such as catalyst design, operation, and the combined art of structure-activity relationships for the various product formations.