Tellurium-Induced Noble-Metal Reactivity in CO₂ Hydrogenation Catalysts

The reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction is a pivotal industrial process that is central to CO₂ utilization. It typically relies on rare platinum group metal catalysts and high temperatures (over 1000 °C). Here, we show that tellurium switches the reactivity of classical methanation-active transition metals (e.g., Co, Ni, Ru, Rh) to selectively promote the RWGS reaction at low temperatures (<450 °C). Te-doped Co and Ni on titania achieve near-equilibrium CO₂ conversions with high stability and CO selectivities exceeding 98%, rivaling those of Pt-based systems. Characterization reveals stable alloy formation that suppresses methanation and favors CO desorption. These findings position transition-metal tellurides as alternative catalysts for sustainable CO₂ conversion.