Influences of porosity properties on the catalytic performance of copper-zinc-aluminum catalyst for CO₂ hydrotreating to methanol

Abstract CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol over Cu-ZnO-Al 2 O 3 catalysts shows potential for CO 2 emission reduction. The modification of the porous structure of the catalysts benefits the catalytic activity. Herein, the porous Cu-ZnO-Al 2 O 3 catalysts were prepared via precipitation method with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) balls as templates. The results show that the average pore size and surface areas of Cu-ZnO-Al 2 O 3 can be improved by PMMA templates without changing the crystalline structure. Lower PMMA ball usage and pore size favor the activity at low reaction temperatures, while higher PMMA usage and pore size benefit activity at high reaction temperatures. High calcination temperature can remove the residual carbon in the catalyst to improve catalytic activity. The modification of the porous structure of Cu-ZnO-Al 2 O 3 catalysts can enhance the activity of CO 2 hydrotreating to methanol.