Research Advances in CO_x Hydrogenation to Valuable Hydrocarbons over Carbon-Supported Fe-Based Catalysts

The overconsumption of fossil energy sources has resulted in serious environmental impacts and an ensuing energy crisis. Therefore, the search for a new alternative energy technology has become a focus of attention. The long-established Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology and the recent CO₂ hydrogenation technology with unlimited potential seem to be among the ways to solve the above problems. Among them, the development of efficient Fe-based catalysts has become a key issue. Weaker interactions on carbon supports are more favourable for the formation of active phases in Fe-based catalysts than stronger metal-support interactions on conventional oxide supports. In this work, we systematically summarise the application of various types of carbon materials (carbon nanotubes, mesoporous carbon, graphene, activated carbon, etc.) in CO_x hydrogenation reactions. The effects of different structural types of carriers on the dispersion of active sites are discussed. At the same time, the effects of different carrier preparation methods on catalytic performance are compared. In addition, the role of surface modifications to carbon materials in the promotion of active sites is discussed. Finally, we propose possible research directions based on the current problems in these catalytic systems. The aim is to provide a reference for the development of new carbon materials and their application in CO_x hydrogenation.