A novel Core–Shell structured CuIn@SiO2 catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol

CO 2 hydrogenation is one of the most promising processes in response to energy crisis and greenhouse gas emission. There is, however, still a lack of a highly efficient and sustainable catalyst for this reaction. In this study, a novel low‐cost core–shell structured CuIn@SiO 2 catalyst is prepared by a solvothermal method and used for catalyzing CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol. A significant interaction exists between Cu and In, promoting Cu dispersion and reducibility, Cu 2 In alloy and oxygen vacancy formation. Moreover, plenty of interfacial sites are formed between Cu 2 In and In 2 O 3 , which further enhances CO 2 adsorption and activation. CuIn@SiO 2 , therefore, shows not only a satisfactory catalytic stability due to core–shell formation but also an excellent catalytic performance. 9.8% CO 2 conversion, 78.1% CH 3 OH selectivity, and 13.7 ·h −1 ·g cat −1 CH 3 OH space–time yield are obtained at the space velocity of 20,000 mL·g cat −1 ·h −1 . CuIn@SiO 2 possesses a great potential as catalyst for CO 2 hydrogenation in a moderate condition in industry. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 65: 1047–1058, 2019