biostudies-literaturePeng LSpanish Ministry of Science and InnovationGeneralitat Valenciana476https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10934795biostudies-literatureUnknown14(5)The quest for efficient catalysts based on abundant elements that can promote the selective CO₂ hydrogenation to green methanol still continues. Most of the reported catalysts are based on Cu/ZnO supported in inorganic oxides, with not much progress with respect to the benchmark Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The use of carbon supports for Cu/ZnO particles is much less explored in spite of the favorable strong metal support interaction that these doped carbons can establish. This manuscript reports the preparation of a series of Cu-ZnO@(N)C samples consisting of Cu/ZnO particles embedded within a N-doped graphitic carbon with a wide range of Cu/Zn atomic ratio. The preparation procedure relies on the transformation of chitosan, a biomass waste, into N-doped graphitic carbon by pyrolysis, which establishes a strong interaction with Cu nanoparticles (NPs) formed simultaneously by Cu²⁺ salt reduction during the graphitization. Zn²⁺ ions are subsequently added to the Cu-graphene material by impregnation. All the Cu/ZnO@(N)C samples promote methanol formation in the CO₂ hydrogenation at temperatures from 200 to 300 °C, with the temperature increasing CO₂ conversion and decreasing methanol selectivity. The best performing Cu-ZnO@(N)C sample achieves at 300 °C a CO₂ conversion of 23% and a methanol selectivity of 21% that is among the highest reported, particularly for a carbon-based support. DFT calculations indicate the role of pyridinic N doping atoms stabilizing the Cu/ZnO NPs and supporting the formate pathway as the most likely reaction mechanism.Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)Nanometric Cu-ZnO Particles Supported on N-Doped Graphitic Carbon as Catalysts for the Selective CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol.PMC10934795Prometeo 2021/038 and Advanced Materials programme Graphica MFA/2022/023 with funding from European Union NextGenerationEU PRTR-C17.I1CEX-2021-001230-S and PDI2021-0126071-OB-CO21 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033Parvulescu VTian LGarcia-Baldovi AGarcia HSastre GPeng LDhakshinamoorthy AJurca BPrimo AfalseNanometric Cu-ZnO Particles Supported on N-Doped Graphitic Carbon as Catalysts for the Selective CO₂ Hydrogenation to Methanol.The quest for efficient catalysts based on abundant elements that can promote the selective CO₂ hydrogenation to green methanol still continues. Most of the reported catalysts are based on Cu/ZnO supported in inorganic oxides, with not much progress with respect to the benchmark Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The use of carbon supports for Cu/ZnO particles is much less explored in spite of the favorable strong metal support interaction that these doped carbons can establish. This manuscript reports the preparation of a series of Cu-ZnO@(N)C samples consisting of Cu/ZnO particles embedded within a N-doped graphitic carbon with a wide range of Cu/Zn atomic ratio. The preparation procedure relies on the transformation of chitosan, a biomass waste, into N-doped graphitic carbon by pyrolysis, which establishes a strong interaction with Cu nanoparticles (NPs) formed simultaneously by Cu²⁺ salt reduction during the graphitization. Zn²⁺ ions are subsequently added to the Cu-graphene material by impregnation. All the Cu/ZnO@(N)C samples promote methanol formation in the CO₂ hydrogenation at temperatures from 200 to 300 °C, with the temperature increasing CO₂ conversion and decreasing methanol selectivity. The best performing Cu-ZnO@(N)C sample achieves at 300 °C a CO₂ conversion of 23% and a methanol selectivity of 21% that is among the highest reported, particularly for a carbon-based support. DFT calculations indicate the role of pyridinic N doping atoms stabilizing the Cu/ZnO NPs and supporting the formate pathway as the most likely reaction mechanism.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Mar2025-04-04T12:59:16.774Z2025-04-04T12:59:16.774ZS-EPMC109347953847080410.3390/nano14050476