Combustion synthesis of CuO-ZnO-ZrO2 catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol

Various CuO-ZnO-ZrO2 (CZZ) catalysts have been synthesized by urea-nitrate combustion method and their performances for methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation have been investigated. The effects Of urea/nitrate ratio on physicochemical and catalytic properties were studied by XRD, BET, H-2-TPR and reactive N2O adsorption techniques. The results show that when 50% of stoichiometric amount of urea was used, the CZZ catalyst exhibited an optimum catalytic behavior. The combustion method was found to be a simple, fast and valuable route for the preparation of CZZ catalyst for methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.