Exploring the Effect of the Solvothermal Time on the Structural Properties and Catalytic Activity of Cu-ZnO-ZrO2 Catalysts Synthesized by the Solvothermal Method for CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol

A series of Cu-ZnO-ZrO2 (CCZ) catalysts were prepared by the solvothermal method with different solvothermal times (1 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h). The physicochemical properties of these catalysts and the catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol were studied. The highest methanol yield was achieved when the solvothermal time was 6 h (CCZ-6). Furthermore, we found that the copper surface area (S-Cu) increases and then decreases with an increase in the solvothermal time and that there is a strong correlation between the methanol yield and the S-Cu. This research highlights the crucial influence of the solvothermal time on the structure and catalytic behavior of Cu-ZnO-ZrO2 catalysts, providing a valuable reference for the development of efficient catalysts.