Indium Oxide as a Superior Catalyst for Methanol Synthesis by CO₂ Hydrogenation

Abstract

Methanol synthesis by CO2 hydrogenation is attractive in view of avoiding the environmental implications associated with the production of the traditional syngas feedstock and mitigating global warming. However, there still is a lack of efficient catalysts for such alternative processes. Herein, we unveil the high activity, 100 % selectivity, and remarkable stability for 1000 h on stream of In2 O3 supported on ZrO2 under industrially relevant conditions. This strongly contrasts to the benchmark Cu-ZnO-Al2 O3 catalyst, which is unselective and experiences rapid deactivation. In-depth characterization of the In2 O3 -based materials points towards a mechanism rooted in the creation and annihilation of oxygen vacancies as active sites, whose amount can be modulated in situ by co-feeding CO and boosted through electronic interactions with the zirconia carrier. These results constitute a promising basis for the design of a prospective technology for sustainable methanol production.

A Critical Look at Direct Catalytic Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Olefins

“…[93,[99][100][101] ZrO 2 is sometimes added as at extural and electronic promoter.I nC O 2 hydrogenation to olefins, addingZ rO 2 increases thes tabilityo ft he catalystb yp reventing sintering. The Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 system currently employed for methanol synthesis from mixed syngas exhibitslimited activity in CO 2 hydrogenation, so it is not ag ood candidate.…”

Power‐to‐Liquids as Renewable Fuel Option for Aviation: A Review

“…The reaction is significantly accelerated in the presence of small quantities of CO 2 of about 10 % in the feed stream . Recent research efforts focus on the development of catalysts supporting direct hydrogenation of CO 2 , without requiring prior RWGS reaction to generate CO : …”

Methanol Synthesis from Steel Mill Exhaust Gases: Challenges for the Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Catalyst

“…Another possible catalyst for CO 2 hydrogenation is based on Pd on different supports such as Pd/ZnO or Ga 2 O 3 ‐Pd/SiO 2 . An additional promising catalyst for CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol consists of ZrO 2 ‐supported In 2 O 3 which showed 100 % selectivity and only low deactivation over 1000 h on stream under industrially relevant conditions . Comparing the performance of various catalysts, most alternative catalysts impress with their high selectivity to methanol, but have to be optimized with respect to conversion, whereas ternary Cu‐based catalysts produce a significantly higher amount of methanol under well‐chosen reaction conditions (Tab.…”