Recent advances in utilizing molybdenum and tungsten carbides for fischer-tropsch synthesis

The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a crucial process for producing sustainable and high-value-added energy from non-petroleum resources. Transition metal carbides (TMCs) have been identified as an effective and highly efficient catalyst for this process. This review comprehensively and systematically summarizes recent advances in the synthesis of TMCs, with a focus on molybdenum and tungsten carbide-based catalysts. The strategies widely adopted for enhancing the catalytic activity of these catalysts are reviewed, and theoretical calculation approaches to elucidate their catalytic mechanisms in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis at a molecular level are presented. Furthermore, the review proposes perspectives for designing novel and highly-efficient molybdenum and tungsten carbides based catalysts for the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.