One-step preparation of coconut shell derived mesoporous biochar supported CuZn catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol

Abstract

CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol over efficient catalysts is a significant approach for achieving carbon neutrality. Here we present a CuZn/MC catalyst with enriched Cu⁺ active sites fabricated through one-step introduction of dispersed Cu-ZnO interfaces on the surface of coconut shell derived mesopore biochar (MC). The CuZn/MC catalyst exhibits a high space-time yield of methanol reached 121.25 g_MeOH·Kg_cat⁻¹·h⁻¹ with excellent stability more than 50 h at 260 °C, almost triple that of the CuZn/SiO₂ catalyst. Controlled experiments confirm that the MC facilitates the highly dispersed Cu species with low valence states, owing to the high specific surface area, narrow mesopore distribution and reducibility of MC. The one-step introduction of bimetal promotes the dispersion and interaction of Cu-ZnO interfaces. The abundant Cu⁺ sites with high binding energy improve the CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol over CuZn/MC catalyst. This work offers a new strategy for constructing efficient biomass derived biochar supported catalysts for methanol synthesis.