Effect of metal loading and Ce addition on biochar-supported Co catalysts for CO2 methanation

Abstract CO2 hydrogenation to methane is an interesting topic that can result in CO2 mitigation, providing a solution for global warming. Using a sustainable catalyst in that process will be considered as a plus point that makes the whole system (material + application) an eco-friendly process. Therefore, scientists have focused on the biochar-supported catalysts used in the CO2 methanation. The use of cobalt (Co) catalysts supported on sugarcane bagasse biochar (SCBB) has not been investigated for the methanation of CO2. Therefore, this work investigated the Co/SCBB systems in the CO2 methanation with different Co loadings starting from 0.1 to 0.8 mmolCo-salt/gSCB. In addition, the effect of Ce was studied, proving that Ce addition improved the catalytic activity significantly, as the catalyst 0.5Co-0.25Ce/SCBB showed the foremost conversion of CO2 (60% at 500 °C) and the best selectivity of methane (80% at 430 °C). This research lays the foundation for utilizing Ce to enhance the catalytic properties of various transition metals that can not offer high catalytic activity alone in the carbon dioxide methanation. Graphical Abstract