Influence of Pore Structure of Silica Coated on Copper-Zinc Oxide-Based Catalyst for Carbon Dioxide into Methanol

The present work has investigated influence of pore structure of silica coated on copper-zinc oxide-based catalyst for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into methanol. For controlling the pore structure, micelles of a cationic surfactant, cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was used without and with a swelling agent, 1-dodecylamine, during coating silica on the commercial copper–zinc oxide-based catalyst. The pore structure depended on the amount of the surfactant and the swelling agent, and the specific surface area and the ratio of mesopores of the silica-coated catalyst significantly increased with adding 1-dodecylamine with the surfactant. The silica-coated catalyst prepared both with CTAB and 1-dodecylamine showed the significantly rapid evaporation of physisorbed water on the catalysts, and the property can reflect the catalyst’s high activity and stability for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide into methanol.