A new photocatalyst for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol demonstrates 50 percent selectivity under simulated solar irradiation. The solar methanol production of the defect-laden indium oxide, In2O3-x(OH)y, with Researchers developed a photocatalyst for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to methanol under illumination at atmospheric pressure. Source: Joulea rod-like nanocrystal superstructure, can be stabilized at a rate of 0.06 mmol gcat-1 h-1 at atmospheric pressure. This is 120 times higher than that of alumina-supported copper-zinc oxide and other commonly used photocatalysts.

Researchers from Soochow University, China, and the University of Toronto, Canada, suggest this discovery will advance the development of a low-pressure solar methanol process using CO2 and renewable hydrogen feedstocks. The development of methanol synthesis from the hydrogenation of CO2 is important for achieving a greener chemical industry, as methanol is consumed at a scale of 65 million tons/year and is a promising energy carrier due to its high volume-specific energy density. It is also a convenient medium for the safe storage of hydrogen and an important renewable feedstock for the chemical industry: about 30 percent of known chemicals can be derived from methanol.

The research is published in the journal Joule.