An overview of catalytic conversion of CO2 into fuels and chemicals using metal organic frameworks

Abundant CO2 emissions from industries and the transportation sector cause an alarming threat to the planet due to overwhelming concerns over CO2 induced climate change. To resolve this tremendous environmental pollution, the long-term solution for CO2 mitigation exists in the conversion of CO2 into value-added products through catalysis. Among several catalysts, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are one of the remarkable candidates for CO2 conversion into fuels and chemicals. The MOFs are molded with robust structures, high porosity, high potential of CO2 adsorption, maximum atom utilization due to high dispersion and isolation of active sites of MOFs, tunability of the metal nodes, organic ligands, etc. MOFs have been implemented for several CO2 conversion processes such as cycloaddition of CO2 to epoxides, photocatalytic CO2 reduction, electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, hydrogenation, and others. These processes convert CO2 into products like cyclic carbonates, alkyl formate, formic acid, ethanol, methanol, methane, CO, and others. This study strived to explain elaborately the formation of fuels and chemicals through different catalytic processes using MOFs. Detailed reaction conditions, catalyst chemistry, reaction mechanisms, and formation rates for alkyl formate, formic acid, methanol, ethanol, CO, and methane have been critically analyzed in present study.