Indium Oxide as a Superior Catalyst for Methanol Synthesis by CO2 Hydrogenation

Abstract Methanol synthesis by CO 2 hydrogenation is attractive in view of avoiding the environmental implications associated with the production of the traditional syngas feedstock and mitigating global warming. However, there still is a lack of efficient catalysts for such alternative processes. Herein, we unveil the high activity, 100 % selectivity, and remarkable stability for 1000 h on stream of In 2 O 3 supported on ZrO 2 under industrially relevant conditions. This strongly contrasts to the benchmark Cu‐ZnO‐Al 2 O 3 catalyst, which is unselective and experiences rapid deactivation. In‐depth characterization of the In 2 O 3 ‐based materials points towards a mechanism rooted in the creation and annihilation of oxygen vacancies as active sites, whose amount can be modulated in situ by co‐feeding CO and boosted through electronic interactions with the zirconia carrier. These results constitute a promising basis for the design of a prospective technology for sustainable methanol production.