Template free synthesis of CuO nanocomposite for catalytic hydrogenation of CO.

Increasing CO emissions from industry has disastrous consequences for the environment. Effective utilization of CO as a carbon source can address the environmental challenges, and we can address the energy crisis caused by fossil fuel consumption. Electrochemical conversion of CO 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 CO 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 CO reduction. Additionally, the NMR & GC-MS analyses were performed to identify the product. Regarding CO 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 CO into fuels.