The conversion of the CO2 to methanol is highly desirable and shows great promise as a sustainable source of liquid fuel as well as a precursor for a range of commodities.Colloidal Cu(0)/ZnO hybrid nanoparticle catalysts have been developed for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol. Well-defined ZnO nanoparticles, surface ligated with organic groups (carboxylate/phosphinate) were prepared via an efficient hydrolysis route, without the need for excess surfactant or size-selection steps. The resulting 3-4 nm particles have a narrow size distribution and are soluble in organic solvents.1Using various copper precursors and reduction conditions, copper nanoparticles have been formed on the ZnO surface to give a highly active catalytic system, reducing CO2 to methanol (CO2:H2 1:3, 50 bar, 523 K, squalane) with over triple the activity of a reference commercial ternary catalyst (Cu/ZnO/Al2O3).2Adjusting the copper loading affects the morphology of the catalyst particles with a corresponding change in the catalyst activity. The ligands on the catalyst surface can be tuned to control the stability of the catalyst.       1K. L. Orchard, M. S. P. Shaffer, and C. K. Williams, Chem. Mater., 2012 , 24, 2443.2N. J. Brown, J. Weiner, K. Hellgard, M. S. P. Shaffer and C. K. Williams, Chem. Commun., 2013 , 49, 11074.

Colloidal ZnO/Cu hybrid nanocatalysts for CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation to methanol

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Colloidal ZnO/Cu hybrid nanocatalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol

Colloidal ZnO/Cu hybrid nanocatalysts for CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol