Non-thermal plasma-catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to methanol: mechanisms and catalyst design.

Abstract

The plasma-catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol has attracted growing attention as a potential route for sustainable carbon utilisation and electrified chemical production. Compared with conventional thermocatalytic processes, which are constrained by unfavourable thermodynamic-kinetic trade-offs, non-thermal plasma enables CO2 activation under significantly milder conditions through the generation of energetic electrons, radicals, ions, and vibrationally excited species. When integrated with heterogeneous catalysts, these plasma environments can activate CO2 and H2 under mild conditions and improve methanol productivity. Catalyst composition and plasma operating conditions play a decisive role in directing selectivity toward methanol over competing products. This review critically discusses the current state of non-thermal plasma-assisted CO2 hydrogenation to methanol, with emphasis on plasma fundamentals, mechanistic understanding, catalyst design, and the influence of key operating parameters. Based on surveying the research landscape, we discuss the remaining scientific and technological challenges and highlight key opportunities for advancing plasma-catalytic methanol synthesis toward practical implementation.

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