Methanol synthesis at a wide range of H2/CO2 ratios over a Rh‐In bimetallic catalyst

Journal article

There is increasing interest in capturing H2 generated from renewables with CO2 to produce methanol. However, renewable hydrogen production is expensive and in limited quantity compared to CO2 . Excess CO2 and limited H2 in the feedstock gas is not favorable for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol, causing low activity and poor methanol selectivity. Now, a class of Rh-In catalysts with optimal adsorption properties to the intermediates of methanol production is presented. The Rh-In catalyst can effectively catalyze methanol synthesis but inhibit the reverse water-gas shift reaction under H2 -deficient gas flow and shows the best competitive methanol productivity under industrially applicable conditions in comparison with reported values. This work demonstrates a strong potential of Rh-In bimetallic composition, from which a convenient methanol synthesis based on flexible feedstock compositions (such as H2 /CO2 from biomass derivatives) with lower energy cost can be established.

Authors: Li, MM-J; Zou, H; Zheng, J; Wu, T-S; Chan, T-S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: Angewandte Chemie
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 37
• Pages: 16039-16046
• Publication date: 2020-07-01
• Acceptance date: 2020-05-27
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202000841
• EISSN: 1521-3773
• ISSN: 1433-7851
• Pmid: 32458500
• Language: English
• Keywords: hydrogenation; methanol synthesis; bimetallic catalysts; Rh-In; carbon dioxide; FFR