Optimization and understanding of ZnO nanoarray supported Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 catalyst for enhanced CO2 -methanol conversion at low temperature and pressure

[Display omitted] •Experimental parametric study was conducted on methanol synthesis over nanoarray supported Cu-based catalysts.•Organic solvent loading method resulted in high-performance nanoarray supported Cu-based catalysts.•Nanoarray supported catalyst exhibits high robustness, methanol-yield, and selectivity at 200 °C and 10 bar.•Cu nanoparticle size and distribution highly affects the nanoarray supported catalyst performance.•ZnO nanoarray supported catalysts is revealed to be of a CO reaction pathway by in-situ DRIFTS. Cu-ZnO-Al2O3 is the most widely applied catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. However, it is still a challenge to produce methanol using this catalyst under low-temperature (