High efficient sunlight-driven CO2 hydrogenation to methanol over NiZn intermetallic catalysts under atmospheric pressure

TL;DR

This paper reports a NiZn intermetallic/ZnO catalyst that efficiently converts CO2 to methanol using sunlight at atmospheric pressure, achieving record-high production rates and 100% selectivity, advancing solar-driven chemical energy storage.

Contribution

Introduces a novel NiZn-ZnO catalyst for solar-driven CO2 hydrogenation to methanol with unprecedented efficiency and selectivity at ambient conditions.

Findings

Methanol production rate of 127.5 μmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ under sunlight.

100% selectivity towards methanol.

Highest record for photothermal CO2 hydrogenation in continuous-flow reactors.

Abstract

The synthesis of solar methanol through direct CO2 hydrogenation using solar energy is of great importance in advancing a sustainable energy economy. In this study, non-precious NiZn intermetallic/ZnO catalyst is reported to catalyze the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol using sunlight irradiation (1sun). The NiZn-ZnO interface is identified as the active site to stabilize the key intermediates of HxCO*. At ambient pressure, the NiZn-ZnO catalyst demonstrates a methanol production rate of 127.5 umol g-1h-1 from solar driven CO2 hydrogenation, with a remarkable 100% selectivity towards methanol in the total organic products. Notably, this production rate stands as the highest record for photothermic CO2 hydrogenation to methanol in continuous-flow reactors with sunlight as the only requisite energy input. This discovery not only paves the way for the development of novel catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol but also marks a significant stride towards a full solar-driven chemical energy storage.