Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol over Non-Noble Catalysts: A State-of-the-Art Review

The malignant environmental changes caused by the ever-increasing amount of anthropogenic CO2 emissions have been particularly prominent in recent years. To achieve carbon mitigation and carbon neutrality, CO2 hydrogenation to methanol is regarded as a promising and sustainable route. However, the development of catalysts with exceptional performance and the establishment of a clear structure–activity relationship remain formidable challenges. Considering the lack of a state-of-the-art review on the catalytic progress of CO2 hydrogenation to methanol over non-noble catalysts, we conducted a detailed review in terms of the thermodynamic analysis, catalytic development, and reaction mechanism. In this work, we mainly reviewed the latest research progress of different catalysts including Cu-based, In2O3-based, bimetallic, solid solution, and other catalysts. Meanwhile, we summarized the effects of the support materials, promoters, and preparation methods on the catalytic performance. In addition, we also summarized the possible reaction mechanisms of direct hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol. Overall, this work would be of importance for the researchers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the design and development of efficient catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol.