The direct conversion of CO2 into methanol
through hydrogenation
reactions by heterogeneous catalysts is considered a promising green
approach for fuel production. The most researched catalyst for methanol
formation is Cu, usually in combination with other metals dispersed
on different substrates. However, several challenges, such as the
low stability, activity, and selectivity of the catalyst, hinder further
progress. Here, we present catalysts consisting of Cu and Fe nanoparticles
deposited on lightweight carbon-phosphorous-nitrogen (CPN) materials
as the support for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. Detailed
analysis reveals a correlation between the elemental composition of
the CPN supports and their CO2 adsorption capability, which
benefits CO2 conversion to methanol. The unique elemental
composition ensures uniform dispersion of both Cu and Fe nanoparticles
on CPN and prevents the oxidation of the Cu active sites during the
reaction. The best performing sample of the catalysts exhibits a remarkable
methanol production yield of 9.82 mol kgcat
–1 h–1 at 250 °C under 20 bar, with good methanol
selectivity, negligible CO formation, and good stability for 12 h
under harsh conditions.
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