CO2 TO METHANOL THROUGH DIRECT CATALYTIC CONVERSION BY STRUCTURED PROMOTED CeO2 BASED CATALYSTS

The use of CO2 as "reagent" looks very attractive for producing chemicals and fuels like methanol which can be directly fed to DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell) systems. Therefore, a series of Cu-ZnO based catalysts with a Cu/Zn atomic ratio of ca. 3 were prepared varying the carrier composition through the addition of ZrO2 and tested in the CO2 hydrogenation process. The increase of ZrO2 content in the carrier composition improves the catalytic activity, in term of CO2 conversion, in the whole range of operative pressures investigated.