Single-atom catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons and oxygenates

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide offers a sound and economically viable technology for the electrification and decarbonization of the chemical and fuel industries.In this technology,an electrocatalytic material and renewable energy-generated electricity drive the conversion of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.Over the past few years,single-atom catalysts have been intensively studied as they could provide near-unity atom utilization and unique catalytic performance.Single-atom catalysts have become one of the state-of-the-art catalyst materials for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.However,it remains a challenge for single-atom catalysts to facilitate the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide into products beyond carbon monoxide.In this review,we summarize and present important findings and critical insights from studies on the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction into hydrocarbons and oxygenates using single-atom catalysts.It is hoped that this review gives a thorough recapitulation and analysis of the science behind the catalysis of carbon dioxide into more reduced products through singleatom catalysts so that it can be a guide for future research and development on catalysts with industry-ready performance for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into high-value chemicals and carbon-neutral fuels.

Optimizing high-coordination shell of Co-based single-atom catalysts for efficient ORR and zinc-air batteries

Atom-level modulation of the coordination environment for single-atom catalysts(SACs)is considered as an effective strategy for elevating the catalytic performance.For the MNxsite,breaking the symmetrical geometry and charge distribution by introducing relatively weak electronegative atoms into the first/second shell is an efficient way,but it remains challenging for elucidating the underlying mechanism of interaction.Herein,a practical strategy was reported to rationally design single cobalt atoms coordinated with both phosphorus and nitrogen atoms in a hierarchically porous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks.X-ray absorption spectrum reveals that atomically dispersed Co sites are coordinated with four N atoms in the first shell and varying numbers of P atoms in the second shell(denoted as Co-N/P-C).The prepared catalyst exhibits excellent oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)activity as well as zinc-air battery performance.The introduction of P atoms in the Co-SACs weakens the interaction between Co and N,significantly promoting the adsorption process of*OOH,resulting in the acceleration of reaction kinetics and reduction of thermodynamic barrier,responsible for the increased intrinsic activity.Our discovery provides insights into an ultimate design of single-atom catalysts with adjustable electrocatalytic activities for efficient electrochemical energy conversion.

Progress and perspective of single-atom catalysts for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cells

A fuel cell is an energy conversion device that can continuously input fuel and oxidant into the device through an electrochemical reaction to release electrical energy.Although noble metals show good activity in fuel cell-related electrochemical reactions,their ever-increasing price considerably hinders their industrial application.Improvement of atom utilization efficiency is considered one of the most effective strategies to improve the mass activity of catalysts,and this allows for the use of fewer catalysts,saving greatly on the cost.Thus,single-atom catalysts(SACs)with an atom utilization efficiency of 100%have been widely developed,which show remarkable performance in fuel cells.In this review,we will describe recent progress on the development of SACs for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell applications.First,we will introduce several effective routes for the synthesis of SACs.The reaction mechanism of the involved reactions will also be introduced as it is highly determinant of the final activity.Then,we will systematically summarize the application of Pt group metal(PGM)and nonprecious group metal(non-PGM)catalysts in membrane electrode assembly of fuel cells.This review will offer numerous experiences for developing potential industrialized fuel cell catalysts in the future.

Defect engineering of high-loading single-atom catalysts for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)provides an attractive approach to carbon capture and utilization for the production high-value-added products.However,CO_(2)RR still suffers from poor selectivity and low current density due to its sluggish kinetics and multitudinous reaction pathways.Single-atom catalysts(SACs)demonstrate outstanding activity,excellent selectivity,and remarkable atom utilization efficiency,which give impetus to the search for electrocatalytic processes aiming at high selectivity.There appears significant activity in the development of efficient SACs for CO_(2)RR,while the density of the atomic sites remains a considerable barrier to be overcome.To construct high-metal-loading SACs,aggregation must be prevented,and thus novel strategies are required.The key to creating high-density atomically dispersed sites is designing enough anchoring sites,normally defects,to stabilize the highly mobile separated metal atoms.In this review,we summarized the advances in developing high-loading SACs through defect engineering,with a focus on the synthesis strategies to achieve high atomic site loading.Finally,the future opportunities and challenges for CO_(2)RR in the area of high-loading single-atom electrocatalysts are also discussed.

Metal-organic frameworks based single-atom catalysts for advanced fuel cells and rechargeable batteries

The next-generation energy storage systems such as fuel cells,metal-air batteries,and alkali metal(Li,Na)-chalcogen(S,Se)batteries have received increasing attention owing to their high energy density and low cost.However,one of the main obstacles of these systems is the poor reaction kinetics in the involved chemical reactions.Therefore,it is essential to incorporate suitable and efficient catalysts into the cell.These years,single-atom catalysts(SACs)are emerging as a frontier in catalysis due to their maximum atom efficiency and unique reaction selectivity.For SACs fabrication,metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)have been confirmed as promising templates or precursors due to their high metal loadings,structural adjustability,porosity,and tailorable catalytic site.In this review,we summarize effective strategies for fabricating SACs by MOFs with corresponding advanced characterization techniques and illustrate the key role of MOFs-based SACs in these batteries by explaining their reaction mechanisms and challenges.Finally,current applications,prospects,and opportunities for MOFs-based SACs in energy storage systems are discussed.

Regulating the coordination environment of Ru single-atom catalysts and unravelling the reaction path of acetylene hydrochlorination

In this work,DFT calculations were used firstly to simulate the nitrogen coordinated metal single-atom catalysts(M-N_(x)SACs,M=Hg,Cu,Au,and Ru) to predict their catalytic activities in acetylene hydrochlorination.The DFT results showed that Ru-N_(x)SACs had the best catalytic performance among the four catalysts,and Ru-N_(x)SACs could effectively inhibit the reduction of ruthenium cation.To verify the DFT results,Ru-N_(x)SACs were fabricated by pyrolyzing MOFs in-situ spatially confined metal precursors.The N coordination environment could be controlled by changing the pyrolysis temperature.Catalytic performance tests indicated that low N coordination number(Ru-N_(2),Ru-N_(3))exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability compared to RuCl_(3)catalyst.DFT calculations further revealed that Ru-N_(2)and Ru-N_(3)had a tendency to activate HCl at the first step of reaction,whereas Ru-N4tended to activate C_(2)H_(2).These findings will serve as a reference for the design and control of metal active sites.

Directing in-situ self-optimization of single-atom catalysts for improved oxygen evolution

The demand for clean and sustainable energy has encouraged the production of hydrogen from water electrolyzers.To overcome the obstacle to improving the efficiency of water electrolyzers,it is highly desired to fabricate active electrocatalysts for the sluggish oxygen evolution process.However,there is generally an intrinsic gap between the as-prepared and real electrocatalysts due to structure evolution under the oxidative reaction conditions.Here,we combine in-situ anionic leaching and atomic deposition to realize single-atom catalysts with self-optimized structures.The introduced F ions facilitate structural transformation from Co(OH)xF into CoOOH(F),which generates an amorphous edge surface to provide more anchoring sites for Ir single atoms.Meanwhile,the in-situ anionic leaching of F ions elevates the Co valence state of Ir_(1)/CoOOH(F)more significantly than the counterpart without F ions(Ir_(1)/CoOOH),leading to stronger adsorption of oxygenated intermediates.As revealed by electrochemical measurements,the increased Ir loading together with the favored adsorption of*OH intermediates improve the catalytic activity of Ir_(1)/CoOOH(F).Specifically,Ir_(1)/CoOOH(F)delivered a current density of 10 mA cm-2at an overpotential of 238 mV,being lower than 314 mV for Ir_(1)/CoOOH.The results demonstrated the facility of the in-situ optimization process to optimize catalyst structure for improved performance.

Understanding the hydrogen evolution reaction activity of doped single-atom catalysts on two-dimensional GaPS_(4) by DFT and machine learning

As a zero-carbon fuel,hydrogen can be produced via electrochemical water splitting using clean electric energy by the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)process.The ultimate goal of HER catalyst is to replace the expensive Pt metal benchmark with a cheap one with equivalent activities.In this work,we investigated the possibility of HER process on single-atom catalysts(SACs)doped on two-dimensional(2D)GaPS_(4)materials,which have a large intrinsic band gap that can be regulated by doping and tensile strain.Based on the machine learning regression analysis,we can expand the prediction of HER performance to more catalysts without expensive DFT calculation.The electron affinity and first ionization energy are the two most important descriptors related to the HER behavior.Furthermore,constrain molecular dynamics with solvation models and constant potentials were applied to understand the dynamics barrier of HER process of Pt SAC on GaPS_(4)materials.These findings not only provide important insights into the catalytic properties of single-atom catalysts on GaPS_(4)2D materials,but also provides theoretical guidance paradigm for exploration of new catalysts.

Single-Atom Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Hydrogen,a renewable and outstanding energy carrier with zero carbon dioxide emission,is regarded as the best alternative to fossil fuels.The most preferred route to large-scale production of hydrogen is by water electrolysis from the intermittent sources(e.g.,wind,solar,hydro,and tidal energy).However,the efficiency of water electrolysis is very much dependent on the activity of electrocatalysts.Thus,designing high-effective,stable,and cheap materials for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)could have a substantial impact on renewable energy technologies.Recently,single-atom catalysts(SACs)have emerged as a new frontier in catalysis science,because SACs have maximum atom-utilization efficiency and excellent catalytic reaction activity.Various synthesis methods and analytical techniques have been adopted to prepare and characterize these SACs.In this review,we discuss recent progress on SACs synthesis,characterization methods,and their catalytic applications.Particularly,we highlight their unique electrochemical characteristics toward HER.Finally,the current key challenges in SACs for HER are pointed out and some potential directions are proposed as well.

Secondary-Atom-Doping Enables Robust Fe-N-C Single-Atom Catalysts with Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Single-atom catalysts(SACs) with nitrogen-coordinated nonprecious metal sites have exhibited inimitable advantages in electrocatalysis.However,a large room for improving their activity and durability remains.Herein,we construct atomically dispersed Fe sites in N-doped carbon supports by secondary-atom-doped strategy.Upon the secondary doping,the density and coordination environment of active sites can be efficiently tuned,enabling the simultaneous improvement in the number and reactivity of the active site.Besides,structure optimizations in terms of the enlarged surface area and improved hydrophilicity can be achieved simultaneously.Due to the beneficial microstructure and abundant highly active FeN_5 moieties resulting from the secondary doping,the resultant catalyst exhibits an admirable half-wave potential of 0.81 V versus 0.83 V for Pt/C and much better stability than Pt/C in acidic media.This work would offer a general strategy for the design and preparation of highly active SACs for electrochemical energy devices.

Engineering the Coordination Sphere of Isolated Active Sites to Explore the Intrinsic Activity in Single-Atom Catalysts

Reducing the dimensions of metallic nanoparticles to isolated,single atom has attracted considerable attention in heterogeneous catalysis,because it significantly improves atomic utilization and often leads to distinct catalytic performance.Through extensive research,it has been recognized that the local coordination environment of single atoms has an important influence on their electronic structures and catalytic behaviors.In this review,we summarize a series of representative systems of single-atom catalysts,discussing their preparation,characterization,and structure-property relationship,with an emphasis on the correlation between the coordination spheres of isolated reactive centers and their intrinsic catalytic activities.We also share our perspectives on the current challenges and future research promises in the development of single-atom catalysis.With this article,we aim to highlight the possibility of finely tuning the catalytic performances by engineering the coordination spheres of single-atom sites and provide new insights into the further development for this emerging research field.

Non-noble metal single-atom catalysts prepared by wet chemical method and their applications in electrochemical water splitting

Water splitting by electrolysis is an appealing pathway for sustainable hydrogen production. The practical performance of water splitting is highly dependent on the efficiency of electrocatalysts, which can promote the anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER) or cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER). Downsizing the metal nanostructures to atomic level to construct single-atom catalysts(SACs) has attracted enormous attention due to its distinct advantages in maximizing the efficiency of metal atom utilization and enhancing activity over corresponding metal nanoparticles. Research on SACs towards electrochemical water splitting application is an emerging field and intensive investigations have been focused on their rational syntheses and applications in HER/OER. In this review, we focus on the wet chemical method developed to prepare non-noble metal based SACs with an emphasis on the synthetic strategies and structure-activity relationship between single metal atoms and catalytic activity. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities for application of single-atom catalysts in water splitting are briefly addressed.

Single-atom catalysts for CO oxidation,CO_(2) reduction,and O_(2) electrochemistry

CO_(x)(x=1,2)and O_(2) chemistry play key roles in tackling global severe environmental challenges and energy issues.To date,the efficient selective electrocatalytic transformations of COx-carbon chemicals,and O_(2)-hydrogenated products are still huge challenges.Single-atom catalysts(SACs)as atomic-scale novel catalysts in which only isolated metal atoms are dispersed on supports shed new insights in overcome these obstacles in CO_(x) and O_(2) chemistry,including CO oxidation,CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR),oxygen reduction reaction(ORR),and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).In this review,the unique features and advanced synthesis strategies of SACs from a viewpoint of fundamental synthesis design are first highlighted to guide future strategy design for controllable SAC synthesis.Then,the to-date reported CO_(2)RR,CO oxidation,OER,and ORR mechanism are included and summarized.More importantly,the design principles and design strategies of improving the intrinsic activity,selectivity,and stability are extensively discussed and the engineering strategy is classified as neighbor coordination engineering,metal-atom engineering,and substrate engineering.Via the comprehensive review and summary of state-of-the-art SACs,the synthesis–structure–property–mechanism–design principle relation can be revealed to shed lights into the structural construction of SACs.Finally,we present an outlook on current challenges and future directions for SACs in CO_(x) and O_(2) chemistry.

Single-atom catalysts for metal-sulfur batteries:Current progress and future perspectives

Metal-sulfur batteries are recognized as a promising candidate for next generation electrochemical energy storage systems owing to their high theoretical energy density,low cost and environmental friendliness.However,sluggish redox kinetics of sulfur species and the shuttle effect lead to large polarization and severe capacity decay.Numerous approaches from physical barrier,chemical adsorption strategies to electrocatalysts have been tried to solve these issues and pushed the rate and cycle performance of sulfur electrodes to higher levels.Most recently,single-atom catalysts(SACs)with high catalytic efficiency have been introduced into metal-sulfur systems to achieve fast redox kinetics of sulfur conversion.In this review,we systematically summarize the current progress on SACs for sulfur electrodes from aspects of synthesis,characterization and electrochemical performance.Challenges and potential solutions for designing SACs for high-performance sulfur electrodes are discussed.

Single-atom catalysts for electrochemical energy storage and conversion

The expedited consumption of fossil fuels has triggered broad interest in the fabrication of novel catalysts for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. Especially, single-atom catalysts(SACs) have attracted more attention owing to their high specific surface areas and abundant active centers. This review summarizes recent synthetic strategies to fabricate SACs with different metal loadings on various supports, and the structural influence of supports on metal loading. Then, the functions of SACs are illustrated on electronic structure and electrocatalysis;the isolated SACs with an unsaturated coordination environment generally accelerate the electrocatalytic process and promote the selectivity. The applications of SACs to some typical electrocatalytic reactions are also introduced in detail, as well as to electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. Finally, the challenges and the perspectives of SACs are discussed for future exploration.

Regeneration of single-atom catalysts deactivated under acid oxygen reduction reaction conditions

Single-atom catalysts serve as a promising candidate to realize noble-metal-free electrocatalytic oxygen reduction in acid media.However,their poor stability under working conditions strictly restrains their practical applications.Therefore,regeneration of their electrocatalytic activity is of great significance.Herein,the regeneration of a Fe-N-C single-atom catalyst is demonstrated to be feasible by a facile annealing regeneration strategy.The activity after regeneration recovers to that of the pristine electrocatalyst and surpasses the deactivated electrocatalyst.The regeneration mechanism is identified to be selfetching of the surface carbon layer and consequent exposure of the previously buried single-atom sites.Furthermore,the regeneration strategy is applicable to other single-atom catalysts.This work demonstrates the feasibility of regenerating oxygen reduction electrocatalysts and affords a pioneering approach to deal with rapid deactivation under working conditions.

Single-atom catalysts with anionic metal centers: Promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction and beyond

Ongoing efforts to develop single-atom catalysts(SACs) for the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) typically focus on SACs with cationic metal centers,while SACs with anionic metal centers(anionic SACs) have been generally neglected.However,anionic SACs may offer excellent active sites for ORR,since anionic metal centers could facilitate the activation of O_(2) by back donating electrons to the antibonding orbitals of O_(2).In this work,we propose a simple guideline for designing anionic SACs:the metal centers should have larger electronegativity than the surrounding atoms in the substrate on which the metal atoms are supported.By means of density functional theory(DFT) simulations,we identified 13 anionic metal centers(Co,Ni,Cu,Ru,Rh,Pd,Ag,Re,Os,Ir,Pt,Au,and Hg) dispersed on pristine or defective antimonene substrates as new anionic SACs,among which anionic Au and Co metal centers exhibit limiting potentials comparable to,or even better than,conventional Pt-based catalysts towards ORR.We also found that anionic Os and Re metal centers on the defective antimonene can electrochemically catalyze the nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR) with a limiting potential close to that of stepped Ru(0001).Overall,our work shows promise towards the rational design of anionic SACs and their utility for applications as electrocatalysts for ORR and other important electrochemical reactions.

Engineering the Local Coordination Environment of Single-Atom Catalysts and Their Applications in Photocatalytic Water Splitting:A Review

Single-atom catalysts(SACs),with atomically dispersed metal atoms anchored on a typical support,representing the utmost utilization effi ciency of the atoms,have recently emerged as promising catalysts for a variety of catalytic applications.The electronic properties of the active center of SACs are highly dependent on the local environment constituted by the single metal atom and its surrounding coordination elements.Therefore,engineering the coordination environment near single metal sites,from the fi rst coordination shell to the second shell or higher,would be a rational way to design effi cient SACs with optimized electronic structure for catalytic applications.The wide range of coordination confi gurations,guaranteed by the multiple choices of the type and heterogeneity of the coordination element(N,O,P,S,etc.),further off er a large opportunity to rationally design SACs for satisfactory activities and investigate the structure-performance relationship.In this review,the coordination engineering of SACs by varying the type of coordination element was elaborated and the photocatalytic water splitting of SACs was highlighted.Finally,challenging issues related to the coordination engineering of SACs and their photocatalytic applications were discussed to call for more eff orts devoted to the further development of single-atom catalysis.

Transition metal-based single-atom catalysts(TM-SACs);rising materials for electrochemical CO_(2) reduction

The continuous increase of global atmospheric CO_(2) concentrations brutally damages our environment. A series of methods have been developed to convert CO_(2) to valuable fuels and value-added chemicals to maintain the equilibrium of carbon cycles. The electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR) is one of the promising methods to produce fuels and chemicals, and it could offer sustainable paths to decrease carbon intensity and support renewable energy. Thus, significant research efforts and highly efficient catalysts are essential for converting CO_(2) into other valuable chemicals and fuels. Transition metal-based single atoms catalysts(TM-SACs) have recently received much attention and offer outstanding electrochemical applications with high activity and selectivity opportunities. By taking advantage of both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts, TM-SACs are the new rising star for electrochemical conversion of CO_(2) to the value-added product with high selectivity. In recent years, enormous research effort has been made to synthesize different TM-SACs with different M–Nxsites and study the electrochemical conversion of CO_(2) to CO. This review has discussed the development and characterization of different TMSACs with various catalytic sites, fundamental understanding of the electrochemical process in CO_(2) RR,intrinsic catalytic activity, and molecular strategics of SACs responsible for CO_(2)RR. Furthermore, we extensively review previous studies on 1 st-row transition metals TM-SACs(Ni, Co, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn) and dual-atom catalysts(DACs) utilized for electrochemical CO_(2) conversions and highlight the opportunities and challenges.

Construction of bifunctional single-atom catalysts on the optimized β-Mo_(2)C surface for highly selective hydrogenation of CO_(2) into ethanol

Green and economical CO_(2)utilization is significant for CO_(2)emission reduction and energy development.Here,the 1D Mo_(2)C nanowires with dominant(101)crystal surfaces were modified by the deposition of atomic functional components Rh and K.While unmodifiedβMo_(2)C could only convert CO_(2)to methanol,the designed catalyst of K_(0.2)Rh_(0.2)/β-Mo_(2)C exhibited up to 72.1%of ethanol selectivity at 150℃.It was observed that the atomically dispersed Rh could form the bifunctional active centres with the active carrierβMo_(2)C with the synergistic effects to achieve highly specific controlled C–C coupling.By promoting the CO_(2)adsorption and activation,the introduction of an alkali metal(K)mainly regulated the balanced performance of the two active centres,which in turn improved the hydrogenation selectivity.Overall,the controlled modification ofβMo_(2)C provides a new design strategy for the highly efficient,lowtemperature hydrogenation of CO_(2)to ethanol with single-atom catalysts,which provides an excellent example for the rational design of the complex catalysts.