Converting CO2 into methanol by catalysis

Catalysis By hydrogenating CO2, scientists can transform a greenhouse gas into methanol, a desirable fuel. Graciani et al. cast copper in the role of the highly active catalyst for this reaction by putting copper particles on cerium oxide. The interface between the cerium oxide and the copper enables the reverse water-gas shift reaction that converts CO2 into CO, which reacts more readily with hydrogen to make methanol. This result takes a step forward in innovating catalysts for this environmentally friendly process. Science , this issue p. [546][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1253057