CO2 hydrogenation to methanol over CuMgAlOx catalysts and Strong metal support interaction (SMSI) between Cu and MgO

Title

CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol over CuMgAlOx catalysts and Strong metal support interaction (SMSI) between Cu and MgO

Speaker

Yuzhen Chen (MSc Student in ChE under the supervision of Prof. Ziyi Zhong/GTIIT/ChE, Prof. Oz M. Gazit/Technion/ChE)

Time and Location

Wednesday, September 11th, 2024 at 16:00 (4 pm, Beijing time), 11:00 (Israel Time)

Zoom Meeting

https://gtiit.zoom.us/j/93653803597

Abstract

Global warming is a critical environmental challenge caused by the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Governments and researchers worldwide are increasingly recognizing the potential to reuse CO2 to produce valuable chemicals such as olefins, formic acid, methanol, and ethanol. Among these, there is a growing interest in the hydrogenation of CO2 to produce methanol, which is widely used as a platform chemical in the production of olefins and fuel additives.

The first part of the study delves into the synthesis and characterization of the CuMgAlOx catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. The coprecipitation method and solvothermal method were meticulously employed to synthesize the catalysts with varying concentrations of Cu at low levels (< 10%). These catalysts were then rigorously tested for their catalytic performance. The samples were characterized using a range of techniques, including XRD, BET, HR-TEM, and CO-DRIFT. Notably, the catalysts prepared by the solvothermal method, with their smaller and more dispersed Cu NPs, exhibited higher catalytic performance, albeit with a relatively low turnover frequency (TOF).

In the second part, Cu nanoparticles were immobilized on Mg-Al LDO support (prepared by the Solvothermal method). Further calcination in a 15%CO2/85% N2 atmosphere at various temperatures resulted in the formation of Strong metal support interaction (SMSI) between Cu and MgO and oxygen-deficient MgO, confirmed by XRD, CO2-TPD, EPR, HR-TEM and XPS analyses. In situ FTIR studies further revealed that oxygen vacancies favor the formation of monodentate formate species, thus enhancing methanol production.