New understanding of the catalytic production of methanol may lead to more efficiency.

Researchers of Stockholm University has for the first time been able to study the surface of a copper-zinc catalyst when carbon dioxide is reduced to methanol. The industrial production of methanol is a catalytic process where a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) reacts to methanol (CH3OH). The catalyst consists of a mixture of copper, zinc oxide and aluminium oxide. However, the underlying function and the chemical state of the catalyst constituents during the reaction has never been solved until now. In the study the researchers were able to determine different behaviours of the catalyst´s surface depending on the fraction of CO and CO2 in the gas mixture. This is a starting point to optimize existing systems or even finding better catalysts. The team now have the tools to conduct research leading to possible other catalyst materials that can be used better to fit together with electrolysis-produced hydrogen for the green transition of the chemical industry, which today is completely fossil-based and accounts for 8% of the world-wide carbon dioxide emissions. Peter Amann et al.; The state of zinc in methanol synthesis over a Zn/ZnO/Cu(211) model catalyst; Science; 5 May 2022



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