Chinese Academy of Sciences completes industrial single-tube experiment on producing methanol from carbon dioxide and hydrogen

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The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that recently, the Shanxi Coal Chemistry Research Institute of the Academy made progress in the technology for producing methanol from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The research team led by Associate Researcher Zhao Ning, in close cooperation with the internal research groups, completed the industrial single-tube experiment for the production of methanol from carbon dioxide via hydrogenation, achieving stable operation – a significant step forward in bringing this technology to industrial application. 　　Due to the difficulty in activating carbon dioxide, the development of efficient catalysts is a key focus in research aimed at achieving the conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol through hydrogenation. Through years of systematic research, the research team has gained in-depth understanding of aspects such as the design and preparation of copper-based catalysts, the structure-activity relationship of catalysts, reaction processes, carbon dioxide activation, and the mechanisms of hydrogenation reactions. The research results show that the CO2 conversion rate is related to the surface area of Cu, while the selectivity for the target product methanol is associated with the strong basic sites on the catalyst surface and copper species in specific valence states (Cuα+). 　　On this basis, the research team developed copper-based catalysts with independent intellectual property rights, obtained **2 invention patents**, and achieved scale-up in the production of these catalysts. The results of industrial single-tube experiments show that the performance of the catalyst has reached an advanced level in China. 　　Methanol is one of the most important basic raw materials in the chemical industry. It is primarily used to produce chemical products such as formaldehyde, dimethyl ether, and acetic acid. It can also be used to manufacture chemicals or fuels like olefins (ethylene, propylene), aromatics (benzene, toluene, xylene), and gasoline, thereby helping to reduce dependence on petroleum resources. Furthermore, methanol is also a clean energy source that can be used as fuel in internal combustion engines or fuel cells. Utilizing the carbon and oxygen resources in carbon dioxide to synthesize methanol through a hydrogenation process helps achieve the recycling of carbon resources, reduces dependence on fossil fuels and resources, and alleviates the environmental burden.