Steering methanol selectivity in plasma-assisted CO₂ hydrogenation via waveform control and CuZn/CeO₂ interface regulation

Zhao, Yun, Ren, Huimin, Hu, Erjiang, Luo, Zelong, Yin, Geyuan, Huang, Zuohua and Tu, Xin ORCID: 0000-0002-6376-0897 (2027) Steering methanol selectivity in plasma-assisted CO₂ hydrogenation via waveform control and CuZn/CeO₂ interface regulation FUEL, 427. p. 140063. ISSN 0016-2361, 1873-7153

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Abstract

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) catalysis provides a promising route for CO<inf>2</inf> hydrogenation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, avoiding the harsh conditions required in conventional thermocatalysis. Herein, the effect of discharge waveform on methanol formation over ZnCu/CeO<inf>2</inf> catalysts was investigated. Among the catalysts studied, Zn<inf>1</inf>Cu<inf>2</inf>/CeO<inf>2</inf> driven by sinusoidal AC plasma exhibited the best performance, achieving a CO<inf>2</inf> conversion of 8.38% and a methanol selectivity of 65.97%, together with reduced energy consumption. Structural characterizations indicate that an optimized Zn/Cu ratio promotes an oxygen-vacancy-rich surface environment and defect-enriched Cu/Zn-Ce interfacial structures, which are beneficial for CO<inf>2</inf> adsorption/activation and surface hydrogenation toward methanol. Under the investigated conditions, the discharge waveform strongly influences electron-energy characteristics, reactive species formation, and product distribution. AC plasma, with gradual voltage variation and relatively moderate electron-energy characteristics, is more favorable for mild CO<inf>2</inf> activation and surface-mediated methanol formation. In contrast, nanosecond pulsed plasma, with nanosecond-scale voltage rise and transient high-field events, tends to enhance gas-phase excitation, dissociation, ionization, and radical chemistry, leading to increased CO and hydrocarbon formation. These results suggest that product distribution in NTP-assisted CO<inf>2</inf> hydrogenation can be regulated by synergistically tuning catalyst interfacial structures and plasma discharge waveforms under mild conditions.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Non-thermal plasma, CO 2 hydrogenation, ZnCu-CeO 2 catalyst, Discharge waveform, Methanol selectivity
Divisions:	Faculty of Science & Engineering Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Engineering Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Engineering > Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	11 Jun 2026 07:06
Last Modified:	12 Jul 2026 09:09
DOI:	10.1016/j.fuel.2026.140063
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3198885
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