Synthesis of n-butanol-rich C₃₊ alcohols by direct CO₂ hydrogenation over a stable Cu–Co tandem catalyst

The direct conversion of CO₂ into liquid fuels and chemical heterogeneous catalysts is considered a promising route to mitigate global warming issues. However, the production of n-butanol-rich C₃₊ alcohol from CO₂ remains a significant challenge. Herein, we demonstrate that a Cu-rich bimetallic Cu–Co catalyst can achieve an unprecedentedly high space-time yield (STY_C3+OH) of 80.8 mg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. The decoration of Co nanoparticles onto the dendritic Cu substrate established a crucial balance between CH_x and CH₃O* and regulated C–C coupling, which is a prerequisite for C₃₊ alcohol synthesis. We provide new mechanistic insights into n-butanol synthesis involving the C–O bond dissociation of an acetaldehyde intermediate on the interfacial Cu–Co site and subsequent C–C bond formation on the Cu site. Furthermore, the Cu–Co catalyst exhibited exceptional stability up to 1000 h by effectively suppressing re-oxidation and carbon deposition. The Cu–Co catalyst has great potential for large-scale CO₂ hydrogenation to C₃₊ alcohol owing to its high selectivity and remarkable stability.