Inverse supported Al2O3/Co° catalysts for enhanced CO2 hydrogenation

Inverse catalysts, characterized by their distinctive interfaces, demonstrate exceptional catalytic activity for CO2 conversion. This study explores the synthesis of an Al-Co oxide/Co0 inverse catalyst through the reduction of a Co-Al oxide with a high Co content, achieved by modulating the Co/Al ratio in the oxide precursor. The resulting inverse catalyst significantly enhances CO2 hydrogenation, yielding increased production of methane, methanol, and ethanol, with a notable amplification in ethanol output. Amongst, the catalyst with a Co/Al ratio of 9:1 achieves high yields for methane (32,131 mu mol/g, methanol (461 mu mol/g), and ethanol (123 mu mol/g). To elucidate the structure and reaction mechanism, the inverse catalyst was also characterized using a suite of techniques. It is posited that the abundance of active sites on the inverse catalyst, coupled with its moderate H binding affinity, facilitates CO2 activation and conversion. This is particularly evident in the enhanced coupling of *HCOO and *CH3 intermediates, which promotes ethanol synthesis. This research not only sheds light on the interactions between metal and metal oxide within Co-based catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation but also proposes a facile method for crafting efficient catalysts for such processes.