Jaeho Nam  Hyeonseo Kim  Sangbaek Kim  Wonjoong Yoon  Jaehoon Kim

Vol. 32,  No. 1, pp. 1-13, Mar.  2026
10.7464/ksct.2026.32.1.1

CO2 hydrogenation Fe-based catalysts Fischer-Tropsch synthesis Light olefins

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The continuous rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has prompted the development of carbon utilization technologies. Among the various technologies developed, the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 into light olefins and C5+ hydrocarbons is one of the most promising pathways for achieving carbon neutrality. Unlike cobalt-based catalysts, which tend to favor methanation, iron (Fe)-based catalysts exhibit unique bifunctionality by effectively coupling the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) reactions. This dual function of Fe-based catalysts is driven by the dynamic active-phase evolution between iron oxide (Fe3O4) and carbide (Fe5C2), which is essential for balancing CO activation with chain propagation. However, water-induced active site oxidation and catalyst sintering leads to the deactivation of Fe-based catalysts due to active site loss. This review summarizes the recent developments in Fe-based catalytic FTS reactions and elucidates the structure-performance relationships that control the overall product selectivity. Furthermore, it suggests future perspectives for overcoming and bridging the gap between the laboratory and the industries by focusing on green hydrogen integration and operando characterization to advance practical CO2 valorization techniques.