Enhanced CO2 hydrogenation reaction by Tuning interfacial Cu/ZnOx through synergistic interactions in the precursors

•A ternary Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst was prepared by a fractional precipitation method with finely controlled Cu/ZnO interface.•Two types of Cu/ZnO interfaces, i.e., CuNP /ZnONP and disordered ZnOX/CuNP are identified in the catalyst.•The interface with more ZnOX decoration prompted the methanol STY compared with catalysts prepared by the co-precipitation. The Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 is a typical industrial catalyst for water–gas-shift reaction and methanol synthesis, and is also gaining momentum in CO2 hydrogenation reaction. The dynamic evolution of the phases and microstructures of the precursor of this catalyst leads to a notable synergistic effect that defines its overall catalytic function and performance. To gain insights into the role and interaction between the relevant precursors, we compared Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts using a conventional co-precipitation and a fractional precipitation method, where the latter one shows an enhanced Cu/ZnOx interface due to a thorough and strong interaction between two components in the precursor. The ZnOx decoration on Cu with unsaturated Znδ+ species boosted the methanol formation to a rate of 508 gCH3OH‧kgcat−1‧h−1 with 58 % selectivity at 513 K and 3 MPa. This work provides mechanistic insights into the synergistic interplay between the involved phases in the Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst.