Synthesis, characterization and activity pattern of carbon nanofibres based Cu-ZrO₂ catalyst in the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol

Carbon nanofibers based Cu-ZrO₂ catalysts (Cu-ZrO₂/CNF) were synthesized by deposition precipitation method. Carbon nanofibers of herringbone type were used as a catalyst support. Before using as catalyst support, carbon nanofibers were oxidized to (CNF-O) with 10% (v/v) nitric acid solution. A series of catalyst with various copper loadings of 10, 15 and 20 wt% were synthesized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study revealed that degree of crystallization of catalyst increase with increasing the concentration of copper content in the catalyst. BET studies showed higher surface area for low loading of copper. Temperature-Programmed Reduction (TPR) analyses concluded good interaction of catalyst particles with higher loading of copper. The performance of Cu-ZrO₂/CNF catalysts in hydrogenation of CO₂ reaction was studied in slurry-typed reactor at 443 K, 30 bar and H₂: CO₂ ratio of 3:1. The highest yield of methanol was achieved using the 20 wt% copper loading.