High-carbon　alcohols　are　important　chemical　raw　materials　and　have　extensive　applications　in　the　fields　of　chemistry,　chemical　engineering,　and　pharmaceuticals.　Converting　fatty　acids　or　fatty　acid　methyl　esters　from　waste　oil　into　high-carbon　alcohols　through　hydrogenation　has　attracted　increasing　attention.　In　this　study,　a　series　of　Cu-ZrO2　catalysts　were　prepared　by　a　citric　acid-assisted　sol-gel　method.　Results　reveal　that　Cu-ZrO2　catalysts　prepared　by　the　sol-gel　method　mainly　exist　in　the　form　of　tetragonal　ZrO2with　loaded　copper　species.　There　is　a　certain　metal-support　interaction　between　metallic　Cu　and　the　ZrO2　support,　and　ZrO2　crystal　phase　can　be　retained　during　the　harsh　catalytic　reaction　conditions.　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　results　show　that　Cu0　species　are　the　key　active　centers.　When　the　Cu0　content　is　insufficient,　the　conversion　rate　of　methyl　palmitate　increases　with　the　increase　of　Cu0　content.　When　the　Cu0　content　is　sufficient,　Cu+　and　Cu0　have　a　synergistic　effect　on　the　hydrogenation　reaction.　Catalyst　dosage,　reaction　time,　reaction　temperature　and　hydrogen　pressure　were　found　to　have　significant　effects　on　the　catalytic　transformation　of　methyl　palmitate.　Increase　of　reaction　temperature　can　significantly　improve　the　conversion　of　methyl　palmitate.　However,　excessive　temperature　can　easily　induce　the　dehydration　of　the　generated　hexadecanol　into　by-products　such　as　hexadecane.　The　conversion　of　methyl　palmitate　can　be　up　to　95.1%,　and　the　yield　of　hexadecanol　can　reach　91.1%　under　the　conditions　of　10%　copper　loading,　300℃,　6MPa　H2　pressure　and　2h　reaction.　©　2025　Chemical　Industry　Press　Co.,　Ltd..　All　rights　reserved.