Template free synthesis of CuO nanocomposite for catalytic hydrogenation of CO₂

Increasing CO₂ emissions from industry has disastrous consequences for the environment. Effective utilization of CO₂ as a carbon source can address the environmental challenges, and we can address the energy crisis caused by fossil fuel consumption. Electrochemical conversion of CO₂ is a promising method recently gaining widespread popularity. Its high productivity, however, remains a major challenge. This work involved a facile novel preparation of a suitable CuO nanocomposite to reduce CO₂ into useful fuels effectively. Hydrothermal synthesis was used to synthesize the nanocomposite. The synthesized NC's structure, morphology, and elemental analysis were evaluated using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM. ICP-OES analysis was performed to quantify Cu concentration in the CuO composite, confirming 98.6% of Cu of the prepared matrix. The cyclic voltammetry method has been used to study the electrochemical activity of NC for CO₂ reduction. Additionally, the NMR & GC-MS analyses were performed to identify the product. Regarding CO₂ reduction, the NC performed greatly better than the ordinary CuO. In addition, the NC exhibits high structural stability and durability, demonstrating its potential to reduce CO₂ into fuels.