CO　2　methanation　could　offer　significant　energy　and　environment　benefits　if　efficient　catalyst　is　developed.　Ni-based　catalyst　is　the　most　promising　catalyst　for　this　reaction.　Herein,　a　series　of　ZrO　2　doped　Ni/Al　2　O　3　catalysts　were　fabricated　by　a　co-precipitation　method,　and　their　reactivities　with　respect　to　the　CO　2　methanation　were　evaluated.　Catalytic　activities　of　the　ZrO　2　-doped　Ni/Al　2　O　3　catalysts　for　CO　2　methanation　are　superior　to　the　undoped　one.　Characterization　results　suggest　that　γ-(Al,　Zr)　2　O　3　solid　solution　is　formed　after　the　introduction　of　ZrO　2　,　which　results　in　weakening　the　NiO-Al　2　O　3　interaction　and　inhibits　the　formation　of　spinel　NiAl　2　O　4　.　After　activated　by　hydrogen　reduction,　those　ZrO　2　-doped　NiO/Al　2　O　3　catalysts　show　smaller　Ni　nanoparticles　sizes,　and　the　one　doped　with　16　wt%　ZrO　2　(Ni/AZ16)　possesses　the　smallest　sizes　of　Ni　nanoparticles　and　shows　the　highest　reactivity　in　the　CO　2　methanation.　©　2018　Elsevier　B.V.