Research Progress on Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation for Methanol Production

With the continuous growth of global energy demand and serious environmental pollution issues, some research is focused on seeking a clean and efficient approach to carbon dioxide utilization. Being an important and widely used chemical raw material, methanol also acts as a new type of clean energy with promising prospects. The conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol by catalytic hydrogenation can both reduce carbon dioxide emission and effectively implement the recycle & utilization of carbon resources, which is of great significance to alleviate the energy shortage and environmental problems. The article reviews the research progress on the reaction mechanisms and catalysts for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to produce methanol. It summarizes the impact of active sites, supports, and structures on catalytic performance in different catalysts. It points out that further in-depth research is needed on improving the dispersion of active metals, regulating the interaction between active metals and supports, and the H/C ratio at active sites. Future research can focus on introducing new supports, optimizing preparation processes, and synthesizing methanol at low temperatures.